UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA.  SAN  DIEGO 


3  1822  00291  0503 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  SAN  DIEGO  /J/// 

3  1822  00291  0503 


101 


o 


THE 

LAST  WORDS  OF  DISTINGUISHED 

MEN  AND  WOMEN 


THE  LAST  WORDS 

(REAL  AND  TRADITIONAL) 

OF  DISTINGUISHED 
MEN  AND  WOMEN 

COLLECTED  FROM  VARIOUS  SOURCES 
BY 

FREDERIC  ROWLAND  MARVIN 


The  tongues  of  dying  men 
Enforce  attention  like  deep  harmony  ; 
Where  words  are  scarce  they're  seldom  spent  in  vain, 
For  they  breathe  truth  that  breathe  their  words  in  pain. 

—Shakspeare 


NEW  YORK  CHICAGO  TORONTO 

FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 
1901 


Copyright  igoi 

by 

Frederic  Rowland  Marvin 

(June) 


XTo  m^  Mife 

tbts  Bool?  is  most  Xovinglg 

2)et)icate5 


Neither  is  there  anything  of  which  I  am  so  in- 
quisitive, and  delight  to  inform  myself,  as  the 
manner  of  men's  deaths,  their  words,  looks, 
and  bearing;  nor  any  places  in  history  I  am  so 
intent  upon;  and  it  is  manifest  enough,  by  my 
crowding  in  examples  of  this  kind,  that  I  have 
a  particular  fancy  for  that  subject.  If  I  were 
a  writer  of  books,  I  would  compile  a  register, 
with  a  comment,  of  the  various  deaths  of  men: 
he  who  should  teach  men  to  die,  would  at  the 
same  time  teach  them  to  live. — Montaigne. 


Last  Words  of  Distinguished 
Men  and  Women. 

Adam  (Alexander,  Dr.,  headmaster  at  the  High 
School  in  Edinburgh,  and  the  author  of  "  Roman 
Antiquities"),  1741-1809.  ''It  grows  dark,  boys. 
You  may  go." 

"  It  grows  dark,  boys.     You  may  go." 

(Thus  the  master  gently  said, 
Just  before,  in  accents  low, 

Circling  friends  moaned,  "  He  is  dead.") 

Unto  him,  a  setting  sun 

Tells  the  school's  dismissal  hour, 
Deeming  not  that  he  alone 

Deals    with    evening's    dark'ning   power. 

All  his  thought  is  with  the  boys. 

Taught  by  him  in  light  to  grow; 
Light  withdrawn,  and  hushed  the  noise, 

Fall  the  passwords,  "  You  may  go." 

Go,  boys,  go,  and  take  your  rest; 

Weary  is  the  book-worn  brain : 
Day  sinks  idly  in  the  west, 

Tired  of  glory,  tired  of  gain. 

Careless  are  the   shades  that  creep 

O'er  the  twilight,  to  and  fro; 
Dusk  is  lost   in   shadows  deep : 
It  grows  dark,  boys.     You  may  go. 

Mary  B.  Dodge. 
I 


Xast  imor&6  of 

Abd-er-Rahman  III.  (surnamed  An-Nasir- 
Lideen-Illah  or  Lidinillah,  that  is  to  say,  "  the  de- 
fender of  the  rehgion  of  God,"  eighth  SuUan  and  first 
Caliph  of  Cordova.  Under  Abd-er-Rahman  III,  the 
Mohammedan,  empire  in  Spain  attained  the  height 
of  its  glory),  886-961.  "Fifty  years  have  passed 
since  I  became  Caliph.  Riches,  honors,  pleasures — / 
have  enjoyed  all.  In  this  long  time  of  seeming 
happiness  I  have  numbered  the  days  on  which  I  have 
been  happy.  Fourteen."  Though  these  sad  words 
correctly  express  the  spirit  of  the  man  who  is  re- 
ported to  have  spoken  them,  they  are  purely  tradi- 
tional. 

Adams  (John,  second  President  of  the  United 
States),  1735-1826.     "  Independence  forever!  " 

He  died  on  the  Fourth  of  July,  the  anniversary  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence;  and  it  is  thought 
that  his  last  words  were  suggested  by  the  noise  of 
the  celebration.  Some  say  his  last  words  were,  "  Jef- 
ferson survives;  "  if  so,  he  was  mistaken,  for  Jeffer- 
son passed  away  at  an  earlier  hour  the  same  day. 

Adams  (John  Quincy,  sixth  President  of  the 
United  States),  1767- 1848.  "  It  is  the  last  of  earth! 
I  am  content! "  On  the  twenty-first  of  February, 
1848,  while  in  his  seat  in  the  Capitol,  he  was  struck 
with  paralysis,  and  died  two  days  later. 

Addison  (Joseph,  poet  and  essayist),  1672-1719. 
"  See  in  what  peace  a  Christian  can  die! "     These 


S)i5tinouf3T3eb  /IDen  an&  Momen 

words  were  addressed  to  Lord  Warwick,  an  accom- 
plished but  dissolute  youth,  to  whom  Addison  was 
nearly  related. 

Adrian  or  Hadrian  (Publius  ^lius,  the  Roman 
Emperor),  76-138.  "  0  my  poor  soul,  zvhithcr  art 
thou  going?  " 

Adrian  wrote  both  in  Greek  and  Latin.  Among 
his  Latin  poems  (preserved  by  Spartianus,  who 
wrote  his  life),  are  these  lines  addressed  to  his  own 
soul: 

Animula    vagula   blandula, 
Hospes  comesque  corporis, 
Quae  nunc  abibis  in  loca? 
Pallidula,  rigida,  nudula, 
Nee,  ut  soles,  dabis  jocos. 

Soul  of  me !  floating  and  flitting,  an'd  fond ! 

Thou  and  this  body  were  house-mates  together; 

Wilt  thou  begone  now,  and   whither? 

Pallid,  and  naked,   and  cold ; 

Not  to  laugh,  nor  be  glad,  as  of  old. 

Adrian  is  known  in  history  as  one  of  the  greatest 
of  the  Roman  Emperors.  It  is  hardly  too  much  to 
say  that,  by  his  progress  through  all  the  provinces 
and  his  policy  of  peace,  he  was  the  consolidater  of 
the  empire  founded  a  century  and  a  half  before  by 
Augustus.  He  was  the  author  of  the  Roman  Wall 
between  England  and  Scotland ;  he  beautified  the  city 
of  Athens;  he  founded  the  modern  Adrianople;  he 
built  for  his  own  mausoleum  what  is  now  the  Castle 


Xast  Morbs  of 

of  St.  Anglo  at  Rome.    He  was  also  a  patron  of  the 
fine  arts  and  of  literature. 

Of  the  famous  lines,  "  The  Dying  Adrian's  Ad- 
dress to  His  Soul,"  no  fewer  than  one  hundred  and 
sixteen  translations  into  English  have  been  collected, 
the  translators  including  Pope,  Prior,  Byron,  Dean 
Merivale,  and  the  late  Earl  of  Carnarvon.  It  should 
be  added  that  Pope's  familiar  version,  beginning 
"  Vital  spark  of  heav'nly  flame,"  is  a  paraphrase 
rather  than  a  translation.    I  quote  Prior's  version : 

"  Poor  little,  quivering,  fluttering  thing, 

Must  we  no  longer  live  together? 
And  dost  thou  prune  thy  trembling  wing, 

To  take  thy  flight  thou  know'st  not   whither? 

"  Thy  humorous  vein,  thy  pleasing  folly 

Lie  all  neglected,  all  forgot : 
And  pensive,   wavering,  melancholy, 

Thou  dread'st  and  hop'st  thou  know'st  not  what." 

This  is  the  only  certain  composition  of  Adrian 
that  has  been  preserved,,  though  he  is  reported  to 
have  attempted  many  forms  of  literature.  The  au- 
thenticity of  a  letter  ascribed  to  him  with  a  reference 
to  the  Christians,  is  open  to  grave  doubt.  But  now 
the  sands  of  Egypt,  which  are  daily  yielding  up  so 
many  secrets  of  antiquity,  have  given  us  what  pur- 
ports to  be  a  private  letter  addressed  by  the  Emperor 
Adrian  to  his  successor,  Antoninus  Pius,  and — 
what  is  more  interesting — it  is  written,  like  the  ad- 
dress to  his  soul,  in  view  of  his  approaching  death. 
Unfortunately  the  papyrus  is  very  fragmentary,  but 

4 


S)lstmGuisbe&  /iDen  ant>  Wiomcn 

its  general  meaning  seems  clear.  We  have  evidently 
only  the  commencement  of  an  elaborate  epistle.  After 
the  assertion  that  his  death  is  neither  unexpected, 
nor  lamentable,  nor  unreasonable,  he  says  that  he 
is  prepared  to  die,  though  he  misses  his  correspond- 
ent's presence  and  loving  care.    He  goes  on : 

"  I  do  not  intend  to  give  the  conventional  reasons 
of  philosophy  for  this  attitude,  but  to  make  a  plain 
statement  of  facts.  .  .  .  My  father  by  birth 
died  at  the  age  of  forty,  a  private  person,  so  that  I 
have  lived  more  than  half  as  long  again  as  my  father, 
and  have  reached  about  the  same  age  as  that  of  my 
mother  when  she  died." 

All  this  accords  with  the  known  facts  about 
Adrian.  He  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-two,  after  a 
long  illness,  during  which  he  was  assiduously  tended 
by  Antoninus.  Just  before  the  end  he  withdrew  to 
Baiae,  leaving  Antoninus  in  charge  at  Rome.  His 
father  had  died  when  his  son  was  ten  years  old;  of 
his  mother  we  know  nothing.  Prima  facie,  there  is 
no  improbability  that  letters  of  Adrian  should  be  in 
circulation  in  Egypt,  which  he  visited  at  least  once. 
His  freedman  Phlegon  is  reported  to  have  published 
a  collection  of  them  after  his  death. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  should  be  frankly  admitted 
that  some  suspicious  circumstances  attach  to  the  let- 
ter. Of  the  antiquity  of  the  papyrus  there  is  no 
doubt,  for  the  handwriting  cannot  be  later  than  the 
end  of  the  second  century  a.  d.,  bringing  it  within 
sixty  years  (at  farthest)  from  Adrian's  death.    But 

5 


Xast  Mort)6  of 

it  is  written  as  a  school  exercise  on  the  back  of  a 
taxing-Hst,  which  naturally  gives  rise  to  the  sus- 
picion that  it  may  be  merely  the  composition  of  the 
schoolmaster.  The  actual  form  of  the  document  is 
interesting.  At  the  top  are  about  fifteen  lines,  writ- 
ten in  a  clear  cursive,  or  running,  hand.  Below,  the 
first  five  lines  are  repeated  in  large,  irregular  uncials, 
or  capital  letters.  It  is  impossible  not  to  recognize 
here  an  exercise  set  by  a  schoolmaster  and  a  copy 
begun  by  a  pupil. 

The  papyrus  is  one  of  the  many  found  by  Messrs. 
Grenfell  and  Hunt  while  excavating  in  the  Fayoum 
on  account  of  the  Egypt  Exploration  Fund,  and  ap- 
pears in  the  volume  issued  by  the  Grseco-Roman 
Branch  of  Egypt  Exploration  Fund,  called 
"  Fayoum  Towns  and  Their  Papyri." 

/.  6*.  Cotton  in  Biblia  for  November,  1900. 

Agis  (King  of  Lacedaemonia,  strangled  by  order 
of  the  Ephori.  He  was  charged  with  subverting  the 
laws  of  his  country,  but  was  in  reality  a  brave  and 
good  man  according  to  the  light  of  the  age  in  which 
he  lived.  He  died  with  great  calmness  and  qourage), 
— 240.    "  Weep  not  for  me." 

Agrippa  (Henricus  Cornelius,  German  physician, 
theologian  and  astrologer,  skilled  in  alchemy  and 
occult  sciences),  i486- 1535.  "  Begone,  thou  wretched 
beast,  zvhkh  hast  utterly  undone  me."  The  story  is 
that  he  was  always  accompanied  by  a  devil  in  the 
shape  of  a  black  dog.    When  he  perceived  that  death 

6 


2)l5tfnGUi6beC>  /IDen  an^  Momen 

was  near  he  wished,  by  repentance,  to  free  his  soul 
from  the  guilt  of  witchcraft,  and  so  took  off  the 
collar  from  his  dog's  neck.  This  collar  was  covered 
with  magical  characters.  As  he  removed  the  collar 
he  muttered  these,  his  last  words :  "  Begone,  thou 
wretched  beast,  which  hast  utterly  undone  me." 
The  familiar  dog  disappeared  with  Agrippa's  death, 
and  was  never  more  seen.  This  curious  story  wks 
for  a  long  time  believed  by  the  common  people,  and 
is  to  be  found  in  one  form  or  another  in  many  old 
books. 

Agrippa  lectured  on  theology  at  Cologne,  Pisa, 
Turin,  and  Pavia,  and  practiced  medicine  in  France. 
Henry  VIII.  invited  him  to  England,  but  he  pre- 
ferred the  court  of  Margaret  of  Austria,  regent  of 
the  Low  Countries.  He  died  poor,  leaving  behind 
him  a  number  of  books,  and  among  them  "  On  the 
Vanity  of  the  Sciences,"  which  has  been  translated 
into  English  and  other  languages. 

Agrippina  (mother  of  the  Emperor  Nero.  She 
was  one  of  the  worst  of  women,  and  was  condemned 
to  death  by  her  own  son) ,  — 60.  "Strike  here!  Level 
your  rage  against  the  womb  which  gave  birth  to  such 
a  monster."  These  words  she  said,  placing  her  hand 
over  her  womb,  to  the  man  sent  to  dispatch  her. 

Albert  ( Francis- Augustus-Charles-Emmanuel, 
Prince  of  Saxe-Coburg  and  Gotha.  He  married 
Queen  Victoria,  his  cousin,  the  tenth  of  February, 
1840),  1 8 19- 1 86 1.    "I  have  had  wealth,  rank  and 

7 


Xast  Mor&6  of 

power,  hut  if  these  zuere  all  I  had,  how  wretched  I 
should  be! "  A  few  moments  later  he  repeated  the 
familiar  Hnes : 

Rock  of  Ages  cleft  for  me, 
Let  me  hide  myself  in  Thee. 

Inscription  on  the  "  Memorial  Cairn  "  on  a  high 
mountain  overlooking  Balmoral  Palace :  "  To  the 
beloved  memory  of  Albert  the  great  and  good  Prince 
Consort,  erected  by  his  broken-hearted  widow,  Vic- 
toria R.,  21  August,  1862."  Upon  another  dressed 
slab,  a  few  inches  below  the  above,  is  this  quotation : 
"  He  being  made  perfect  in  a  short  time,  fulfilled  a 
long  time :  for  his  soul  pleased  the  Lord,  therefore 
hasted  he  to  take  him  away  from  among  the  wicked." 
Wisdom  of  Solomon,  chap,  iv:  13,  14. 

One  year  after  Prince  Albert  died,  the  Queen 
erected  a  costly  mausoleum  in  the  grounds  of  Frog- 
more  House,  which  is  legally  a  part  of  the  domain 
of  Windsor  Castle.  The  mausoleum  is  cruciform, 
eighty  feet  long,  with  transepts  of  seventy  feet.  As 
soon  as  it  was  completed  and  consecrated  by  the 
Bishop  of  Oxford,  the  remains  of  the  Prince  Con- 
sort were  there  deposited.  Over  the  entrance  is  a 
Latin  inscription,  which  in  English  reads  as  follows : 

WHAT   WAS    MORTAL  OF   PRINCE   ALBERT 

HIS  MOURNING  WIDOW,  QUEEN  VICTORIA, 

HAS   CAUSED   TO   BE   DEPOSITED   IN    THIS    SEPULCHER. 

FAREWELL,   MY   WELL  BELOVED  ! 

HERE  AT  LAST  SHALL  I  REST  WITH  THEE. 

WITH  THEE   IN   CHRIST   SHALL  RISE  AGAIN. 

8 


2)tsttnGUisbe&  /lOcn  ant)  Momen 

Alexander  (Jannaeus,  son  of  John  Hyrcanus, 
succeeded  his  brother  Aristobiikis  as  King  of  Jtidea 
in  105  B.  c.  The  Pharisees  rose  in  rebellion  against 
his  authority;  they  hated  him  during  his  life,  and 
cursed  his  memory  when  he  was  dead) — b.  c.  78 
"  Fear  not  true  Pharisees,  hut  greatly  fear  painted 
Pharisees,"  to  his  wife. 

Alfieri  (Vittorio,  eminent  Italian  tragic  poet), 
1 749- 1 803.  "  Clasp  my  hand,  my  dear  friend,  I 
die! "  Addressed  to  the  Countess  Stolberg,  who  de- 
rived the  title  Countess  of  Albany  from  being  the 
wife  of  Charles  Edward  Stuart,  "  the  Pretender." 
After  the  death  of  Stuart,  the  countess  lived  with 
Alfieri,  to  whom  it  is  believed  she  was  privately 
married. 

In  the  church  of  Santa  Croce,  Florence,  reposes 
the  body  of  Alfieri,  and  over  it  is  an  imposing  monu- 
ment erected  by  Canova  for  the  Countess  of  Albany. 
It  was  while  walking  amongst  the  tombs  of  the  illus- 
trious dead  in  the  great  "  Westminster  Abbey  of 
Italy  "  that  the  poet  first  dreamed  of  fame. 

Alford  (Henry,  commonly  called  "Dean 
Alford,"  English  poet  and  divine.  Dean  of  Canter- 
bury), 1810-1871.  "  Will  you  tell  the  Archdeacon? 
— ivill  you  move  a  vote  of  thanks  for  his  kindness  in 
performing  the  ceremony?  "  He  wished  the  Arch- 
deacon to  assist  in  the  services  at  his  funeral. 

He  had  expressed  a  wish  to  be  buried  in  St.  Mar- 
tin's churchyard.     The  spot  chosen  for  his  grave  is 

9 


Xast  IKHorDs  of 

beneath  a  yew-tree  on  the  brow  of  the  hill  on  the 
south  side  of  the  path  which  leads  from  the  lich-gate 
to  the  western  door  of  the  ancient  church.  At  the 
distance  of  about  half  a  mile  to  the  west  the  towers  of 
the  Cathedral  look  down  upon  his  tomb. 

Among  his  papers  was  found  the  following  mem- 
orandum, which,  of  course,  was  carefully  obeyed : 

"  When  I  am  gone,  and  a  tomb  is  to  be  put  up, 
let  there  be,  besides  any  indication  of  who  is  lying 
below,  these  words,  and  these  only : 

DEVERSORIUM     VIATORIS     HIEROSOLYMAM     PROFICIS- 

CENTIS. 

i.  e.,  the  inn  of  a  traveller  on  his  way  to  Jerusalem." 

Ambrose  ("Saint,"  Latin  Father,  author  of 
many  books  of  varying  value  and  interest,  and  author 
of  a  method  of  singing  known  as  "  the  Ambrosian 
Chant  "),  340-397.  "  I  have  not  so  behaved  myself 
that  I  should  be  ashamed  to  live;  nor  am  I  afraid  to 
die,  because  I  have  so  good  a  Master/^ 

Ames  (Fisher,  distinguished  American  statesman, 
leader  of  the  Federal  party  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives during  the  administration  of  Washing- 
ton), 1 758- 1 808.  "  I  have  peace  of  mind.  It  may 
arise  from  stupidity,  but  I  think  it  is  founded  on  a 
belief  of  the  gospel.  My  hope  is  in  the  mercy  of 
God." 

10 


3)istinouf5bet)  /iDen  anb  TlClomen 

Anaxagoras  (the  most  illustrious  philosopher  of 
the  Ionian  school,  and  "The  Friend  of  Pericles"), 
B.  c.  500-428.     "  Give  the  boys  a  holiday.'' 

After  his  banishment  he  resided  in  Lampsacus  and 
there  preserved  tranquillity  of  mind  until  his  death. 
"  It  is  not  I  who  have  lost  the  Athenians ;  it  is  the 
Athenians  who  have  lost  me,"  was  his  proud  reflec- 
tion. He  continued  his  studies,  and  was  highly  re- 
spected by  the  citizens,  who,  wishing  to  pay  some 
mark  of  esteem  to  his  memory,  asked  him  on  his 
death-bed  in  what  manner  they  could  do  so.  He 
begged  that  the  day  of  his  death  might  be  annually 
kept  as  a  holiday  in  all  the  schools  of  Lampsacus.  For 
centuries  this  request  was  fulfilled.  He  died  in  his 
seventy-third  year.  A  tomb  was  erected  to  him  in 
the  city,  with  this  inscription : 

This  tomb  great  Anaxagoras  confines, 
Whose  mind  explored  the  heavenly  paths  of  Truth. 
Lewes'  Biographical  History  of  Philosophy. 

Andre  (John,  major  in  the  British  army  at  the 
time  of  the  American  Revolution,  and  executed  as  a 
spy,  October  2,  1780),  1751-1780.  "It  will  be  but 
a  momentary  pang." 

The  order  for  execution  was  loudly  and  impres- 
sively read  by  Adjutant-General  Scammel,  who  at 
its  conclusion  informed  Andre  he  might  now  speak, 
if  he  had  anything  to  say.  Lifting  the  bandage  for 
a  moment  from  his  eyes  he  bowed  courteously  to 
Greene  and  the  attending  officers,   and  said  with 

II 


Xast  1KIlor&s  of 

firmness  and  dignity :  "  All  I  request  of  you,  gentle- 
men, is  that  you  will  bear  witness  to  the  world  that 
I  die  like  a  brave  man."  A  moment  later  he  said,  al- 
most in  a  whisper,  "  It  will  be  but  a  momentary 
pang." 

The  London  General  Evening  Post  for  Novem- 
ber 14,  1780,  in  an  article  abusive  of  Washington, 
gives  a  pretended  account  of  Andre's  "  last  words," 
in  which  the  unfortunate  man  is  made  to  say,  "  Re- 
member that  I  die  as  becomes  a  British  officer,  while 
the  manner  of  my  death  must  reflect  disgrace  on 
your  commander."  Andre  uttered  no  sentiment  like 
this.  Miss  Seward,  his  early  friend,  on  reading  this 
account,  wrote  thus  in  her  "  Monody  on  Major 
Andre:" 

Oh  Washington!   I  thought  thee  great  and  good, 

Nor  knew  thy  Nero-thirst  for  guiUless  blood ! 

Severe  to  use  the  pow'r  that   Fortune  gave, 

Thou  cool,  determin'd  murderer  of  the  brave ! 

Lost  to  each   fairer  virtue,   that   inspires 

The  genuine  fervor  of  the  patriot  fires ! 

And  you,  the  base  abettors  of  the  doom, 

That  sunk  his  blooming  honors  in  the  tomb, 

Th'  opprobrious  tomb  your  harden'd  hearts  decreed, 

While  all  he  asked  was  as  the  brave  to  bleed ! 

Lossing's  Field  Book  of  the  Revolution,  Vol.  i,  p.  768. 

Andronicus  I.  (Comnenus,  usurper  and  em- 
peror), 1115-1185.  "Lord,  have  mercy  upon  me. 
Wilt  thou  break  a  bruised  reed?  " 

So  great  was  his  cruelty  and  so  oppressive  his 
tyranny,  that  his  own  subjects  rose  in  desperation 
and  slew  him. 

12 


2)istinaufsbe&  /IDen  anC)  Momen 

Anne  (of  Austria,  daug-hter  of  Philip  III.  of 
Spain,  and  mother  of  Louis  XIV.  of  France,  Queen 
of  France),  1601-1666.  ''Observe  hozv  they  are 
swelled;  time  to  depart."  These  words  were  spoken 
as  she  viewed  her  hands  which  had  been  greatly  ad- 
mired for  their  beauty. 

Anselm  ("Saint,"  Archbishop  of  Canterbury), 
1034-1109.  ""/  shall  gladly  obey  His  call;  yet  I 
should  also  feel  gratefid  if  He  woidd  grant  me  a  little 
longer  time  with  yoii,  and  if  I  could  he  permitted  to 
solve  a  question — the  origin  of  the  soul." 

Anthony  or  Antony  ("Saint,"  surnamed 
Abbas,  the  reputed  founder  of  monachism),  251- 
356.  "  Let  this  zuord  of  mine  be  kept  by  you,  so 
that  no  one  shall  know  in  zvhat  place  my  body  re- 
poses, for  I  shall  receive  it  incorruptible  from  my 
Saviour  in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  And  dis- 
tribute my  garments  thus:  To  Athanasius,  the 
bishop,  give  one  of  my  sheepskins,  and  the  cloak 
under  me,  which  zuas  new  when  he  gave  it  me, 
and  has  become  old  by  my  use  of  it;  and  to  Scrapion, 
the  bishop,  give  the  other  sheepskin;  and  do  you  have 
the  hair-cloth  garment.  And  for  the  rest,  children, 
farewell,  for  Anthony  is  going,  and  is  with  you  no 
more." 

Antoninus  (Marcus  Aurelius,  Roman  Emperor, 
celebrated  for  nobleness  of  character  and  great  wis- 

13 


Xast  Mor^s  ot 

dom.    He  is  sometimes  called  "  The  Philosopher  "), 
121-180.    "  Think  more  of  death  than  of  me." 

Notwithstanding  the  mild  and  upright  character 
of  the  emperor,  there  took  place  during  his  reign  a 
severe  persecution  of  the  Christians.  Efforts  have 
been  made  to  excuse  him  from  responsibility  in  the 
matter,  but  all  such  efforts  have  succeeded  only  in 
greatly  palliating  his  guilt,  which  was  probably 
much  less  than  that  of  many  other  persecutors  of  the 
early  followers  of  our  Lord. 

Aram  (Eugene,  executed  for  the  murder  of  Daniel 
Clark.  The  story  of  Eugene  Aram  forms  the  subject 
of  one  of  Bulwer's  novels,  and  of  a  poem  by  Thomas 
Hood),  1 704-1 759.  "  No"  on  being  asked  upon  the 
scaffold  if  he  had  anything  to  say. 

While  acting  as  an  assistant  to  his  father,  who  was 
a  gardener,  he  studied  mathematics  and  gave  some 
attention  to  the  languages.  On  marrying,  he  became 
a  schoolmaster,  and  prosecuted  his  studies  with  such 
diligence  and  success  as  to  obtain  a  good  knowledge 
of  the  Latin,  Greek,  Hebrew,  Chaldee,  Arabic,  Welsh 
and  Irish  languages,  Li  1759  he  was  tried  for  the 
murder  of  Daniel  Clark,  a  shoemaker  of  Knaresbor- 
ough,  and  found  guilty.  At  the  trial  he  made  an 
elaborate  and  able  defence,  but  after  his  condemna- 
tion he  confessed  his  guilt.  On  the  night  before  his 
execution  he  made  an  attempt  to  commit  suicide,  by 
opening  the  veins  of  his  arms ;  but  he  was  discovered 
before  he  had  bled  to  death,  and  the  sentence  of  the 
law  was  carried  into  effect. — Lippincott. 

14 


S)fstfnouf0be&  /IDen  an&  Momen 

PAPER  CONTAINING  ARAM's  REASONS  FOR  ATTEMPT- 
ING SUICIDE,  FOUND  ON  THE  TABLE  IN  HIS  CELL. 

"  What  am  I  better  than  my  fathers?  To  die  is 
natural  and  necessary.  Perfectly  sensible  of  this,  I 
fear  no  more  to  die  than  I  did  to  be  born.  But  the 
manner  of  it  is  something  which  should,  in  my 
opinion,  be  decent  and  manly.  I  think  I  have  re- 
garded both  these  points.  Certainly  nobody  has  a 
better  right  to  dispose  of  a  man's  life  than  himself; 
and  he,  not  others,  should  determine  how.  As  for 
any  indignities  offered  to  my  body,  or  silly  reflec- 
tions on  my  faith  and  morals,  they  are  (as  they  al- 
ways were)  things  indifferent  to  me.  I  think,  though 
contrary  to  the  common  way  of  thinking,  I  wrong 
no  man  by  this,  and  hope  it  is  not  offensive  to  that 
Eternal  Being  that  formed  me  and  the  world;  and 
as  by  this  I  injure  no  man,  no  man  can  be  reasonably 
offended.  I  solicitously  recommend  myself  to  the 
Eternal  and  Almighty  Being,  the  God  of  Nature,  if 
I  have  done  amiss.  But  perhaps  I  have  not;  and  I 
hope  this  thing  will  never  be  imputed  to  me.  Though 
I  am  now  stained  by  malevolence,  and  suffer  by 
prejudice,  I  hope  to  rise  fair  and  unblemished.  My 
life  was  not  polluted,  my  morals  irreproachable,  and 
my  opinions  orthodox. 

"  I  slept  soundly  till  three  o'clock,  awaked,  and 
then  writ  these  lines : 

"  Come  pleasing  rest,  eternal  slumber  fall. 
Seal  mine,  that  once  must  seal  the  eyes  of  all; 
Calm  and  compos'd  my  soul  her  journey  takes, 
No  guilt  that  troubles,  and  no  heart  that  aches: 

15 


Xast  Mor^5  of 

Adieu!  thou  sun,  all  bright  like  her  arise; 

Adieu!  fair  friends,  and  all  that's  good  and  wise." 

Archibald  (eighth  Earl  of  Argyle),  1 598-1661. 
"  I  die  not  only  a  Protestant,  but  with  a  heart-hatred 
of  popery,  prelacy,  and  all  superstition  whatsoever/' 
Spoken  upon  the  scaffold. 

Ariosto  (Lodovico,  Italian  poet),  1479-1533. 
"  This  is  not  my  home." 

Armistead  (Lewis  Addison,  brigadier-general  in 
the  Confederate  army),  1817-1863.  "Give  them 
the  cold  steel,  boys." 

Armistead  put  his  hand  on  the  cannon,  waved  his 
sword  and  called  out,  "  Give  them  the  cold  steel, 
boys,"  then,  pierced  by  bullets,  he  fell  dead  along 
side  Gushing.  Both  lay  near  the  clumps  of  trees 
about  thirty  yards  inside  the  wall,  their  corpses 
marking  the  farthest  point  to  which  Picketts'  ad- 
vance penetrated,  where  the  "  High  Water  Mark 
Monument  "  at  Gettysburg,  now  marks  the  top  of 
the  flood  tide  of  the  rebellion,  for  afterwards  there 
was  a  steady  ebb. 

Baedeker's  Handbook  of  the  United  States. 

Arnold  (Thomas,  of  Rugby,  English  historian 
and  teacher.  In  August,  1841,  he  was  appointed 
regius  professor  of  modern  history  at  Oxford.  He 
is  the  author  of  five  volumes  of  sermons,  "  Introduc- 
tory Lectures  on  Modern  History,"  and  "  The  His- 
tory of  Rome"),   1795-1842.     "Ah!  Very  well," 

16 


H)istin0Ui6be&  /IDen  m^  Momen 

to  his  physician  who  told  him  of  the  serious  nature 
of  his  complaint,  and  described  to  him  the  remedies 
to  be  used. 

"  The  benevolent  and  accomplished  Dr.  Arnold 
was  taken  from  us  by  angina  pectoris.  He  awoke  in 
the  morning  with  a  sharp  pain  across  his  chest, 
which  he  had  felt  slightly  on  the  preceding  day,  be- 
fore and  after  bathing.  He  composed  himself  to 
sleep  for  a  short  time;  but  the  pain  seemed  to  in-- 
crease,  and  to  pass  down  the  left  arm,  which  called 
to  Mrs.  Arnold's  remembrance  what  she  had  heard 
of  this  fatal  disease.  Their  usual  medical  attendant, 
Dr.  Bucknill,  was  sent  for,  and  found  Dr.  Arnold 
lying  on  his  back — his  countenance  much  as  usual — 
his  pulse,  though  regular,  was  very  quick,  and  there 
was  cold  perspiration  on  the  brow  and  cheeks.  He 
apologized  in  a  cheerful  manner  for  troubling  Dr. 
Bucknill  at  so  early  an  hour,  and  inquired  as  to  the 
nature  and  danger  of  his  illness :  he  was  told  it  was  a 
spasm  of  the  heart.  The  physician  quitted  the  house 
to  furnish  himself  with  remedies.  On  his  return, 
Dr.  Arnold  said,  '  If  the  pain  is  again  as  severe  as 
it  was  before  you  left,  I  do  not  know  how  I  can  bear 
it.'  He  again  questioned  Dr.  Bucknill  as  to  the 
danger  of  his  complaint — he  was  told  of  his  danger 
— inquired  as  to  the  remedies,  and  on  being  told, 
answered,  '  Ah !  very  well.'  The  physician,  who  was 
dropping  the  laudanum  into  a  glass,  turned  around, 
and  saw  him  quite  calm,  but  his  eyes  were  shut.  In 
another  minute  he  heard  a  rattle  in  his  throat,  and  a 

17 


5Last  Mor&5  of 

convulsive  struggle, — flew  to  the  bed,  and  called  to 
one  of  the  servants  to  fetch  Mrs.  Arnold.  The 
family  soon  arrived;  but  the  sobs  and  cries  of  his 
children  were  unable  to  affect  him — the  eyes  were 
fixed,  the  countenance  was  unmoved,  there  was  a 
heaving  of  the  chest,  deep  gasps  escaped  at  prolonged 
intervals,  and  just  as  the  usual  medical  attendant 
arrived,  and  as  the  old  school-house  servant,  in  an 
agony  of  grief,  rushed  with  the  others  into  the  room 
in  the  hope  of  seeing  his  master  once  more,  he 
breathed  his  last." 

'Stanley's  Life  of  Arnold. 

Arria  (wife  of  Csecina  Paetus,  a  consul  under 
Claudius),  died  about  the  year  b.  c,  42.  When  her 
husband  was  condemned  to  die  by  his  own  hand, 
seeing  that  he  hesitated,  she  seized  the  dagger,  and 
plunged  it  into  her  own  breast.  Then  withdrawing 
it,  she  presented  it  to  her  husband,  saying  with  a 
smile :     **  //  is  not  painful,  Pcetus." 

When  to  her  husband  Arria  gave  the  steel, 
Which  from  her  chaste,  her  bleeding  breast  she  drew; 

She  said — "  My  Psetus,  this  I  do  not  feel, 
But,  oh !  the  wound  that  must  be  given  by  you ! "  * 

Martial. 

Augustine  (**  Saint,"  Latin  Father,  able  con- 
troversialist and  eloquent  preacher,  author  of  "  On 


*  Casta  suo  gladium  cum  traderet  Arria  Paeto 
Quern  de  visceribus  traxerat  ipsa  suis, 

Si  qua  fides,  vulnus,  quod  feci,  non  dolet,  inquit; 
Sed  quod  tu  facies,  hoc  mihi,  Paete,  dolet. 

18 


2)f9tinouisbe&  /IDen  ant>  Momen 

the  City  of  God,"  "  Confessions,"  and  many  other 
books  of  value),  354-430.  "  Oh,  Lord,  shall  I  die 
at  all?  Shall  I  die  at  all?  Yes!  Why,  then,  oh. 
Lord,  if  ever,  why  not  nozv?  " 

His  mother,  Monica,  was  a  woman  of  the  most 
devoted  piety.  His  father  was  a  pagan,  and  from 
him  Augustine  inherited  a  vehement  and  sensual 
disposition.  While  a  mere  youth  he  gave  way  to  his 
unbridled  passions  and  sensual  propensities.  His 
mother's  patient  prayerfulness  for  both  husband  and 
son,  which  was  at  last  crowned  with  success,  has 
passed  into  a  touching  type  of  womanly  saintliness 
for  all  ages. — A.  H.  Gottschall. 

Augustus  (Caius  Julius  Csesar  Octavianus,  first 
Emperor  of  Rome),  b,  c.  63-14.  "  Vos  plaudite," 
after  asking  how  he  had  acted  his  part  in  life.  These 
reputed  last  words  of  Augustus  rest  upon  the  au- 
thority of  Cicero. 

Suetonius  gives  his  last  words  thus :  "  Live 
mindful  of  our  wedlock,  Livia,  and  so  farewell." 

Babington  (Anthony,  English  gentleman  de- 
voted to  the  cause  of  Mary  Stuart.  Executed  for 
having  conspired  against  the  life  of  Queen  Eliza- 
beth),— 1586.  "  The  murder  of  the  Queen  had  been 
represented  to  me  as  a  deed  lawful  and  meritorious. 
J  die  a  Urm  Catholic."    Said  on  the  scaffold. 

Bacon  (Francis,  Baron  Verulam,  Viscount  St. 
Albans),  1 56 1- 1626.    "  Thy  creatures,  O  Lord,  have 

19 


Xast  mov^B  of 

been  my  books,  but  Thy  Holy  Scriptnres  much  more. 
I  have  sought  Thee  in  the  fields  and  gardens,  but  I 
have  found  Thee,  0  God,  in  Thy  Sanctuary — Thy 
Temple." 

"  In  March,  1626,  he  came  to  London,  and  one 
day  near  Highgate  was  taken  with  a  desire  to  dis- 
cover whether  snow  would  act  as  an  antiseptic.  He 
stopped  his  carriage,  got  out  at  a  cottage,  purchased 
a  fowl,  and  with  his  own  hands  assisted  to  stuff  it 
with  snow.  He  was  seized  with  a  sudden  chill  and 
became  so  seriously  unwell  that  he  had  to  be  con- 
veyed to  Lord  Arundel's  house  near  by.  There  his 
illness  increased,  and  he  died  of  bronchitis  after  a 
few  days  of  suffering." — Encyclopedia  Britannica. 

For  my  burial,  I  desire  it  may  be  in  St.  Michael's 
Church,  St.  Albans;  there  was  my  mother  buried, 
and  it  is  the  parish  church  of  my  mansion-house  of 
Gorhambury,  and  it  is  the  only  Christian  Church 
within  the  walls  of  Old  Verulam.  For  my  name 
and  memory,  I  leave  it  to  men's  charitable  speeches, 
to  foreign  nations  and  the  next  ages. 

From  the  Will  of  Lord  Bacon. 

Bailli  or  Bailliff  (Roche  de,  known  by  the 
name  of  La  Riviere,  a  distinguished  French  physi- 
cian),— 1605.  "I  must  now  hasten  away  since  my 
baggage  has  been  sent  off  before  me." 

When  feeling  the  approaches  of  death,  he  sent  for 
all  his  servants,  and  distributed  his  money  and  prop- 
erty among  them,  on  condition  that  they  immediately 

20 


DIstfnoufsbet)  /IDen  anb  "BXHomen 

left  the  house,  which  was  so  punctually  complied 
with,  that  when  the  physicians  came  on  their  next 
visit,  they  found  the  doors  open,  and  their  patient 
by  himself,  with  no  property  left  but  the  bed  he  lay 
upon.  When  the  physicians  remarked  this  circum- 
stance to  him,  he  answered  that  he  must  now  go 
likewise,  "  since  his  baggage  was  sent  off  before 
him,"  and  immediately  expired. 

The  Book  of  Death. 

Bailly  (Jean  Sylvain,  French  astronomer  and 
philosopher,  first  President  of  the  States-General, 
and  later  a  victim  of  the  Revolution),  1736- 1793. 
"  My  friend,  ii  is  only  from  cold,"  to  one  of  the  by- 
standers who,  witnessing  the  refinement  of  cruelty 
attending  his  execution,  said,  "  Bailly,  you  tremble." 

He  was  led  on  foot,  amidst  a  drenching  fall  of 
snow  and  sleet,  to  the  banks  of  the  river,  where,  to 
parody  the  scene  on  Calvary,  the  heavy  beams  which 
support  the  guillotine  were  placed  on  his  shoulders. 
He  sank  under  the  weight,  but  barbarous  blows 
obliged  him  again  to  lift  it.  He  fell  a  second  time,  and 
swooned  away ;  yells  of  laughter  arose  in  the  crowd, 
and  the  execution  was  postponed  till  he  revived,  and 
could  feel  its  bitterness.  But  nothing  could  subdue 
his  courage.  "  You  tremble,  Bailly,"  said  one  of  the 
spectators.  "  My  friend,"  said  the  old  man,  "  it  is 
only  from  cold." 


*  Charles  I.,  of  England,  put  on  two  shirts  the  morning  of 
his  execution,  saying,  "  If  I  tremble  with  cold,  my  enemies 

21 


Xnst  'mov^B  ot 

Barneveldt  (Johan  van  Olden,  Dutch  states- 
man of  liberal  principles  greatly  in  advance  of  his 
age.  He  has  been  called  "  the  father  of  Dutch  free- 
dom and  religious  liberty."  He  was  beheaded  at 
the  Hague  in  his  seventy-first  year,  and  met  his  fate 
without  regret  or  a  sign  of  fear),  1 549-1619.  "  Oh 
God,  what  then  is  man! "  Some  say  his  last  words 
were  these,  addressed  to  the  executioners :  "  Be 
quick  about  it.     Be  quick." 

Barre,  de  la  (Jean  Fran9ois  le  Fevre,  Chevalier. 
He  was  condemned  to  death  for  having  mutilated  a 
crucifix,  and  was  executed  in  1766,  at  the  age  of 
nineteen),  1747- 1766.  "  I  did  not  think  they  would 
put  a  young  gentleman  to  death  for  such  a  trifle."  ^ 

Poor  young  Barre  was  tortured,  strangled  and 
burned  for  not  taking  off  his  hat  to  a  file  of  greasy 
monks.  He  remained  covered  while  the  Capuchins 
carried  some  mediaeval  trumpery  in  procession. 

Walter  Besant's  "  French  Humorists." 

Battie  (William,  English  physician),  1704- 1776. 
"  Young  man,  you  have  heard,  no  doubt,  how  great 
are  the  terrors  of  death:  this  night  will  probably 
afford  you  some  experience;  but  you  may  learn,  and 
may  you  profit  by  the  example,  that  a  conscientious 


will  say  it  was  from  fear :  I  will  not  expose  myself  to  such 
reproaches." — Lingard:  "History  of  England." 

'  See  Voltaire's  "  Account  of  the  Death  of  the  Chevalier  de 
la  Barre." 

22 


BistlnguisbeD  /IDcn  an5  Momcn 

endeavor  to  perform  his  duties  through  life,  will 
ever  close  a  Christian's  eyes  zvith  comfort  and  tran- 
quillity/' to  his  servant. 

Baxter  (Richard,  noted  EngHsh  nonconformist, 
author  of  "  The  Saints'  Everlasting  Rest,"  and 
"The  Call  to  the  Unconverted"),  1615-1691.  "I 
have  pain — there  is  no  arguing  against  sense — but  I 
have  peace,  I  have  peace! "  A  little  later  he  said, 
"  /  am  almost  well.'' 

Bayard  (Pierre  du  Terrail,  called  " le  chevalier 
sans  peur  et  sans  reproche,"  the  knight  without  fear 
and  without  reproach),  1475-1524.  ''At  least,  I 
may  die  facing  the  enemy." 

At  the  defeat  of  Romaguans,  Bonnivet,  wounded 
and  not  able  to  serve  any  longer,  gave  the  command 
of  the  army  up  to  Bayard ;  who,  as  usual,  performed 
prodigies  of  valor,  until  he  was  wounded  by  a 
musket  shot,  which  broke  the  vertebrae  of  his  back. 
He  then  caused  himself  to  be  helped  ofif  his  horse, 
and  to  be  placed  at  the  foot  of  a  tree.  "  At  least," 
said  he,  "  I  may  die  facing  the  enemy;  "  and  in  a 
few  moments  he  was  dead. 

Beard  (Dr.  George  Miller,  an  American  physi- 
cian and  scientist  of  unusual  promise,  who  died  upon 
the  threshold  of  a  great  career),  1839- 1883.  He 
said  to  the  doctors  who  endeavored  to  save  his  life, 
"  You  are  good  fellows,  but  you  can  do  nothing  for 
me.     My  time  has  come."     His  last  words  were, 

23 


Xast  Mor56  ot 

"  1  should  like  to  record  the  thoughts  of  a  dying  man 
for  the  benefit  of  science,  but  it  is  impossible." 

Dr.  Beard  had  wonderful  insight.  He  exposed 
and  ruined  the  notorious  Eddy  Brothers,  and  com- 
prehended, explained,  and  paralleled  the  exploits  of 
Brown,  the  Mind  Reader,  showing  the  simple  prin- 
ciple on  which  they  were  produced.  His  defects 
were  too  rapid  generalization,  and  too  positive  and 
comprehensive  assertion  of  results.  Knowing  well 
the  uncertainty  of  average  human  testimony  where 
the  supernatural,  or  even  the  mysterious,  is  involved, 
he  held  that  experts  in  the  supposed  supernatural 
alone  were  competent  witnesses.  Of  these  he  thought 
that  there  were  but  three  or  four  living,  nor  did 
he  shrink  from  claiming  that  he  was  easily  princeps 
among  them.  Of  course,  as  there  were  no  experts 
on  earth  when  the  miracles  were  wrought,  he  had 
no  evidence  of  them.  He  was  prone  to  comprehend 
as  much  as  possible  under  one  generic  term.  His 
work  on  Neurasthenia  did  not  command  general 
approbation,  because  it  made  almost  everything  a 
sign  of  nervous  exhaustion.  As  a  writer,  he  was 
brilliant  and  prolific.  His  fame  would  be  more  en- 
during if  he  had  written  five  books,  instead  of  fifty. 

Obituary. 

Beaton  or  Beatoun  or  Beton  (David,  Cardinal 
and  Archbishop,  an  implacable  enemy  of  Protes- 
tants. He  knew  neither  rest  nor  mercy  in  his  de- 
termination to  crush  the  Reformed  Faith,  and  his 

24 


5)f6tfn(5uisbe&  /IDen  an&  lUIlomen 

execution  of  George  Wishart  drew  down  upon  him 
the  execration  of  all  good  men),  1449-1546.  "  I  am 
a  priest!  Fie!  Fie!    All  is  gone." 

Cardinal  Beaton  was  assassinated  in  May,  1546, 
in  the  chamber  of  his  castle,  by  a  band  of  men 
who  sympathized  with  the  Reformers,  headed  by 
Norman  Leslie. 

Beaufort  (Henry,  half-brother  of  Henry  IV. 
He  was  made  cardinal  in  1426,  and  in  1430  he 
crowned  Henry  IV.  at  Notre  Dame.  He  presided 
over  the  tribunal  that  sent  the  Maid  of  Orleans  to 
the  stake,  and  is  supposed  to  have  participated  in 
the  murder  of  the  Duke  of  Gloucester),  1370- 1447. 
"  I  pray  you  all  pray  for  me."  Some  authorities 
give  his  last  words  thus:  "And  must  I  then  die? 
Will  not  all  my  riches  save  me  ?  I  could  purchase  a 
kingdom,  if  that  would  save  my  life!  What!  is 
there  no  bribing  death?  When  my  nephew,  the 
Duke  of  Bedford,  died,  I  thought  my  happiness  and 
my  authority  greatly  increased;  but  the  Duke  of 
Gloucester's  death  raised  me  in  fancy  to  a  level 
with  kings,  and  I  thought  of  nothing  but  accumu- 
lating still  greater  wealth,  to  purchase  at  last  the 
triple  crown.  Alas !  how  are  my  hopes  disappointed ! 
Wherefore,  O  my  friends,  let  me  earnestly  beseech 
you  to  pray  for  me,  and  recommend  my  departing 
soul  to  God !  " 

HarpsHeld:  Hist.  Eccles.  edit.  Duaci,  1622,  p.  643. 

A  few  minutes  before  his  death,  his  mind  ap- 

25 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

peared  to  be  undergoing  the  tortures  of  the  damned. 
He  held  up  his  two  hands,  and  cried — "Away! 
away! — why  thus  do  ye  look  at  me?  "  He  seemed 
to  behold  some  horrible  spectre  by  his  bedside.' 

Becket  (Thomas  a,  first  Saxon  archbishop  of 
Canterbury  after  the  Norman  conquest),  1117-1170. 
"  For  the  name  of  Jesus  and  the  defense  of  the 
church  I  am  zvilling  to  die/' 

He  was  assassinated  by  four  barons,  servants  of 
Henry  H.  The  Roman  Catholic  Church  regarded 
him  as  a  martyr;  and  in  1172  he  was  canonized. 

Bede  (surnamed  "The  Venerable;"  an  English 
monk,  and  the  author  of  "  Historia  Ecclesiastica 


*  Enter  the  King,  Salisbury,  Warwick,  to  the  Cardinal  m 
bed. 

King.      How    fares    my    lord?    speak,    Beaufort,     to    thy 
sovereign. 

Car.    If  thou  be'st  death,  I'll  give  thee  England's  treasure, 
Enough   to  purchase   such   another  island, 
So  thou  wilt  let  me  live  and  feel  no  pain. 

King.     Ah,  what  a  sign  it  is  of  evil  life, 
Where  death's  approach  is  seen  so  terrible ! 

War.    Beaufort,  it  is  thy  sovereign  speaks  to  thee; 

Car.     Bring  me  unto  my  trial  when  you  will. 
Died  he  not  in  his  bed?  where  should  he  die? 
Can  I  make  men  live,  whether  they  will  or  no? 
O,  torture  me  no  more !     I   will  confess. 
Alive  again?     Then  show  me  where  he  is: 
I'll  give  a  thousand  pound  to  look  upon  him. 
He  hath  no  eyes,  the  dust  hath  blinded  them. 
Comb  down  his  hair ;  look,  look !   it  stands  upright, 
Like  lime-twigs  set  to  catch  my  winged  soul. 

26 


DisttuGutsbeO  /iDen  ant)  TKIlomen 

Gentis  Anglorum"),  673-735.     "Glory  he  to  the 
Father,  and  to  the  Son  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost." 

It  is  related  that  on  the  night  of  his  death  he 
continued  dictating  to  his  amanuensis  a  translation 
of  some  work,  probably  of  the  gospel  of  St.  John, 
into  Anglo-Saxon.  He  asked  the  scribe  how  many 
chapters  remained.  "  Only  one,"  he  replied ;  "  but 
you  are  too  weak  to  dictate."  "  No,"  said  Bede, 
"  take  your  pen  and  write  quickly."  After  some 
time  the  scribe  said,  "  Master,  it  is  finished ;  "  to 
which  Bede  replied,  "  Thou  hast  said  truly,  con- 
summatum  est,"  and  shortly  after  expired. 

Lippincott. 

Beecher  (Henry  Ward,  distinguished  American 
clergyman,  for  many  years  pastor  of  Plymouth  Con- 


Give  me  some  drink ;  and  bid  the  apothecary 
Bring  the  strong  poison  that  I  bought  of  him. 

King.     O  thou  eternal  Mover  of  the  heavens, 
Look  with   a   gentle   eye   upon   this   wretch ! 
O,   beat  away   the  busy   meddling  fiend 
That  lays  strong  siege  unto  this  wretch's  soul, 
And  from  his  bosom  purge  this  black  despair ! 

War.     See  how  the  pangs  o£  death  do  make  him  grin ! 

Sal.     Disturb  him  not ;  let  him  pass  peaceably. 

King.     Peace  to  his  soul,  if  God's  good  pleasure  be! 
Lord  cardinal,  if  thou  think' st  on  heaven's  bliss. 
Hold  up  thy  hand,  make  signal  of  thy  hope. 
He  dies,  and  makes  no  sign.     O  God,  forgive  him ! 

War.     So  bad  a  death  argues  a  monstrous  life. 

King.     Forbear  to  judge,  for  we  are  sinners  all. 
Close  up  his  eyes  and   draw  the  curtain  close ; 
And  let  us  all  to  meditation. 

Exeunt.    —King  Henry  VI,  Part  II,  Act  Hi. 

27 


gregational  Church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.)^  i8i 3-1887. 
"  Now  comes  the  mystery." 

Beethoven  (Ludwigvan),  1770-1827.  "  I  shall' 
hear  in  heaven." 

When  about  thirty-five  years  old,  while  at  work 
upon  his  opera  of  "  Leonora,"  known  in  English 
as  "  Fidelio,"  he  was  attacked  with  deafness.  The 
malady  began  gradually,  but  after  a  year  made  more 
rapid  progress,  and  soon  his  hearing  was  entirely 
destroyed. 

Some  authorities  give  his  last  words  thus :  "  Is  it 
not  true,  dear  Hammel,  that  I  have  some  talent  after 
all?"  Hammel  was  an  old  friend  with  whom  he 
had  once  quarrelled,  and  who,  after  being  separated 
from  him  for  a  long  time,  came  to  him  when  he  was 
upon  his  death  bed. 

Beethoven  received  the  sacraments  of  the  Roman 
church,  and  at  about  one  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
same  day  he  sank  into  apparent  unconsciousness, 
and  a  distressing  conflict  with  death  began  which 
lasted  the  rest  of  that  day,  the  whole  of  the  next 
day,  and  until  a  quarter  of  six  on  the  evening  of 
the  day  following.  As  the  evening  closed  in,  there 
came  a  sudden  storm  of  hail  and  snow,  covering  the 
ground  and  roofs  of  the  Schwarzspanierplatz,  and 
followed  by  a  flash  of  lightning,  and  an  instant  clap 
of  thunder.  So  great  was  the  crash  as  to  arouse 
even  th^.  dying  man.  He  opened  his  eyes,  clinched 
his  fist,  and  shook  it  in  the  air  above  him.     This 

28 


2)istinouisbe&  /IDen  ant)  Momen 

lasted  a  few  seconds  while  the  hail  rushed  down 
outside,  and  then  the  hand  fell,  and  the  great  com- 
poser was  no  more. 

Grove's  Dictionary  of  Music  and  Musicians. 

Bellarmino  (Cardinal  Roberto),  1542-1621. 
"  It  is  safest  to  trust  in  Jesus,"  to  one  who  enquired 
whether  it  is  safer  to  trust  in  the  Virgin  Mary 
than  in  Jesus. 

Bentham  (Jeremy,  English  philosopher  and 
jurist,  author  of  "  Defence  of  Usury,"  "  Theory  of 
Penalties  and  Rewards,"  "  The  Rationale  of  Judicial 
Evidence,"  "  Panopticon,"  and  many  other  works 
of  interest  and  value.  He  devoted  much  of  his  time 
and  ability  to  the  development  of  the  theory  that 
"  Utility  is  the  test  and  measure  of  virtue  "),  1748- 
1832.     "I  feel  nozv  that  I  am  dying." 

Berenger  (de  Tours,  celebrated  French  ecclesi- 
astic), 998-1088.  "  I  shall  not  long  hesitate  between 
conscience  and  the  Pope,  for  I  shall  soon  appear 
in  the  presence  of  God,  to  he  acquitted,  I  hope;  to 
be  condemned,  I  fear." 

No  more  'twixt  conscience  staggering  and  the  Pope, 

Soon  shall  I  now  before  my  God  appear: 

By  him  to  be  acquitted,  as  I  hope; 

By  him  to  be  condemned,  as  I  fear." — Coleridge. 

Berenger  opposed  the  dogmas  of  Transubstantia- 
tion  and  the  Real-Presence.  His  teachings  were 
condemned  by  Pope  Leo  IX.  in  1050. 

29 


Xast  Mor^s  ot 

Bergerus  (councillor  to  the  Emperor  Maximil- 
ian), "Farewell,  O  farewell  all  earthly  things,  and 
welcome  heaven." 

Berkeley  (George,  Bishop  of  Cloyne,  metaphysi- 
cal philosopher  and  author),  1684-1753, 

The  last  words  of  Berkeley  are  not  recorded,  but 
the  peacefulness  and  suddenness  of  his  death  are 
interesting.  One  evening  he  and  his  family  were 
sitting  and  drinking  tea  together ;  he  on  one  side  of 
the  fire,  and  his  wife  on  the  other,  and  his  daughter 
making  the  tea  at  a  little  round  table  just  behind 
him.  She  had  given  him  one  dish  which  he  had 
drunk.  She  had  poured  out  another  which  he  left 
standing  some  time.  "  Sir,"  said  she,  "  will  you 
not  take  your  tea?  "  Upon  his  making  no  kind  of 
an  answer,  she  stooped  forward  and  looked  at  him, 
and  found  that  he  was  dead. 

Life  of  Bishop  Berkeley. 

Berkeley  directed  in  his  will  that  his  body  should 
be  kept  above  ground  more  than  five  days,  and  until 
it  became  "  offensive  by  the  cadaverous  smell,  and 
that  during  the  said  time  it  lye  unwashed,  undis- 
turbed and  covered  by  the  same  bedclothes,  in  the 
same  bed,  the  head  raised  upon  pillows." 

Bernard  ("  Saint,"  Abbot  of  Clairvaux  and  act- 
ive promoter  of  the  crusade  of  1 146.  He  is  the  author 
of  many  beautiful  hymns),  1091-1 153.    "  May  God's 

30 


2)i9t(n0u(abeb  /IDcn  an^  Momcn 

will  be  done,"  said  when  he  was  told  that  his  last 
hour  was  at  hand. 

Berry  or  Berri  (CaroHne  Ferdinande  Louise, 
Madame  de),  1798-1870.  "Is  not  this  dying  with 
courage  and  true  greatness f  " 

Biron  (Armand  Louis  de  Gontaut,  Due  de  Lau- 
zun,  French  general-in-chief  of  the  army  of  the 
Rhine),  1747- 1793.  "  I  have  been  false  to  my  God, 
to  my  order,  and  to  my  king:  I  die  fidl  of  faith  and 
of  repentance." 

The  executioner's  messenger  surprised  him  at  a 
breakfast  of  oysters  and  white  wine,  and  said  he  was 
at  the  duke's  orders;  to  which  the  latter  rejoined, 
*'  No  morbleu,  'tis  just  the  other  way :  I  am  at 
yours !  "  He  then  asked  that  he  might  be  permitted 
to  finish  his  breakfast,  after  which  he  answered  the 
summons  of  the  executioner. 

Bismarck  von  Schonhausen  (Karl  Otto, 
Prince,  the  most  distinguished  of  Prussian  states- 
men), 18 1 3- 1 898.  "Thank  you,  my  child,"  to  his 
daughter.  Countess  von  Rantzau,  who  wiped  the 
perspiration  from  his  forehead. 

On  Thursday  evening  an  improvement  set  in  in 
the  Prince's  condition,  in  which  repeated  changes  for 
the  worse  had  occurred  since  October  last,  and  he 
was  able  to  appear  at  the  table  and  take  part  in  the 
conversation,  drinking  champagne  and  afterward 
smoking  several  pipes,  which  he  had  not  done  lately. 

31 


Xast  mor^s  of 

His  condition  was  so  satisfactory  that  Dr. 
Schweninger,  after  the  Prince  had  gone  to  bed,  went 
away,  with  the  intention  of  returning  on  Satur- 
day. His  condition  was  comparatively  satisfac- 
tory throughout  Friday  and  Saturday  morning.  He 
read  the  "  Nachrichten  "  and  conversed  on  poHtics, 
particularly  referring  to  Russian  affairs.  In  the 
forenoon  he  took  luncheon,  grumbling  jocularly  at 
the  small  proportion  of  spirits  in  his  drinking  water. 
Then  a  sudden  change  for  the  worse  occurred,  and  in 
the  afternoon  he  frequently  became  unconscious. 

Recently,  besides  periods  of  unusual  mental  clear- 
ness, the  Prince  had  had  intervals  of  drowsiness, 
falling  into  long,  sound  and  beneficial  sleep,  on 
awaking  from  which  he  would  be  completely  re- 
freshed. 

On  Saturday  evening  grave  symptoms  appeared. 
Death  came  easily  and  painlessly.  Dr.  Schweninger 
was  able  to  some  extent  to  lighten  the  last  moments, 
wiping  the  patient's  mouth  and  enabling  him  to 
breathe  more  freely. 

The  last  words  Prince  Bismarck  uttered  were 
addressed  to  his  daughter,  Countess  von  Rantzau, 
who  wiped  the  perspiration  from  his  forehead.  They 
were,  "  Thank  you,  my  child." 

The  whole  family  were  assembled  at  the  bedside 
at  the  time  of  his  death,  and  Dr.  Schweninger,  Dr. 
Chrysander  and  Baron  and  Baroness  Merck  were 
also  present.  As  no  breathing,  movement  or  pulse 
was  perceptible  for  three  minutes,  Dr.  Schweninger 

32 


Bistiiioutsbeb  /IDen  an&  Monien 

declared  quietly  and  simply  that  the   Prince  was 
dead. 

Dr.  Schweninger  telegraphed  the  news  to  Emperor 
William,  in  Norway. 

The  Prince  lies  as  he  used  to  sleep,  with  his 
head  slightly  inclined  to  the  left.  The  expression 
on  his  face  is  mild  and  peaceful.  It  is  remarked 
that  his  head  remained  warm  for  an  unusually  long 
time. 

In  accordance  with  Prince  Bismarck's  wish,  he 
will  be  buried  upon  the  hill  opposite  the  castle  in 
the  vicinity  of  Hirschgruppe. 

Nachrichten,  July  2)^st,  1898. 

Blake  (William,  English  artist  and  poet),  1757- 
1828.     Blake  died  singing. 

"  On  the  day  of  his  death,"  writes  Smith,  who  had 
his  account  from  the  widow,  "  he  composed  and 
uttered  songs  to  his  Maker,  so  sweetly  to  the  ear 
of  his  Catherine,  that  when  she  stood  to  hear  him, 
he,  looking  upon  her  most  affectionately,  said,  '  My 
beloved !  they  are  not  mine.  No!  they  are  not  mine ! ' 
He  told  her  they  would  not  be  parted;  he  should 
always  be  about  her  to  take  care  of  her.  A  little 
before  his  death,  Mrs.  Blake  asked  where  he  would 
be  buried,  and  whether  a  dissenting  minister  or  a 
clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England  should  read 
the  service.  To  which  he  answered,  that  as  far  as 
his  own  feelings  were  concerned,  she  might  bury 
him  where  she  pleased.     But  that  as  father,  mother, 

33 


Xast  MorDs  ot 

aunt  and  brother  were  buried  in  Bunhill  Row,  per- 
haps it  would  be  better  to  He  there.  As  for  service, 
he  should  wish  for  that  of  the  Church  of  England. 

"  In  that  plain,  back  room,  so  dear  to  the  memory 
of  his  friends,  and  to  them  beautiful  from  associa- 
tion with  him — with  his  serene  cheerful  converse, 
his  high  personal  influence,  so  spiritual  and  rare — 
he  lay  chanting  Songs  to  Melodies,  both  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  moment,  but  no  longer  as  of  old  to  be 
noted  down.  To  the  pious  songs  followed,  about 
six  in  the  summer  evening,  a  calm  and  painless 
withdrawal  of  breath ;  the  exact  moment  almost  un- 
perceived  by  his  wife,  who  sat  by  his  side.  A 
humble  female  neighbor,  her  only  other  companion, 
said  afterwards :  '  I  have  been  at  the  death,  not  of 
a  man,  but  of  a  blessed  angel.'  " 

Gilchrist's  Life  of  William  Blake. 

"  He  said  he  was  going  to  that  country.he  had  all 
his  life  wished  to  see,  and  expressed  himself  happy, 
hoping  for  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ.  Just 
before  he  died  his  countenance  became  fair,  his  eyes 
brightened,  and  he  burst  out  into  singing  of  the 
things  he  saw  in  heaven.  In  truth  he  died  like  a 
saint,  as  a  person  who  was  standing  by  him  ob- 
served." ^ 

Fro'tn  a  letter  zvritten  at  the  time  of  Blake's  death. 


'  Lablache  (1794-1858),  the  celebrated  French  singer  and 
actor,  whose  wonderful  voice,  embracing  two  full  octaves, 
has  been  described  as  firmer  and  more  expressive  than  that 
of  any    singer   of   his   time   or   before    it,   attempted   to    sing 

34 


Dfstfnouisbeb  /IDen  ant)  Momeii 

Blood  (Thomas,  an  Irish  adventurer  who  served 
in  Cromwell's  army.  He  seized  the  Duke  of  Or- 
mond  in  his  coach  in  London,  and  would  have 
hanged  him  but  for  the  resistance  of  his  servants. 
In   1671   he  came  very  near  possessing  himself  of 


upon  his  death-bed.  He  bade  his  son  go  to  the  piano  and 
accompany  him.  The  young  man,  struggling  with  emotion, 
obeyed.  Lablache  sang  in  English  the  first  stanza  of  Home, 
Sweet  Home.  At  the  second  stanza  the  muscles  of  the  throat 
refused  to  move ;  not  a  note  could  he  sound.  In  distress 
and  great  amazement  he  gazed  around  him  for  a  moment, 
and  then,  closing  his  eyes,  fell  asleep  in  death. 

It  is  recorded  of  Captain  Hamilton,  whose  portrait  was 
painted  by  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  that  he  came  to  his  death 
in  this  wise :  "  He  imprudently  ventured  in  a  boat  from  his 
ship  to  land  at  Plymouth,  on  a  tempestuous  day,  all  in  his 
impatience  to  rejoin  his  wife  ashore.  The  boat  turned  keel 
upwards,  and  the  captain,  being  a  good  swimmer,  trusted 
to  his  skill,  and  would  not  accept  of  a  place  on  the  keel, 
but,  that  he  might  leave  room  there  for  others,  clung  merely 
to  the  edge  of  the  boat.  His  great  coat  was  a  hindrance 
to  him,  and  this  he  attempted  to  throw  off;  but,  in  the 
words  of  Lord  Eliot,  whose  too  are  the  italics,  "  finding  his 
strength  fail,  he  told  the  men  he  must  yield  to  his  fate,  and 
soon  afterwards  sank  while  singing  a  psalm." — Francis  Jacox. 

When  Latour  was  guillotined  at  Foix,  in  1864,  for  the 
murder  of  a  family  of  four  persons,  great  was  the  throng 
in  the  streets,  despite  the  heavy  rain  that  fell ;  for,  to  ensure 
a  good  attendance,  the  condemned  man  had  announced  his 
intention  to  compose  for  the  occasion  a  series  of  verses, 
which  he  would  sing  on  his  way  (in  a  cart,  vis-a-vis  with 
messieurs  the  headsmen)  from  prison  to  scaffold.  And  sing 
them  he  did,  all  the  way — a  matter  of  some  three  hundred 
and  fifty  yards.  Lightly  he  tripped  up  the  steps  of  the 
scaffold,  and  then,  after  a  deliberate  survey  of  the  crowd 
below  and  all  around,  he  tliundered  forth,  tonna,  the  follow- 

35 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

the  crown  jewels),    1628- 1680.      "I  do   not  fear 
death." 

Blood,  that  wears  treason  in  his  face, 
Villain  complete  in  parson's  gown, 

How  much  is  he  at  court  in  grace, 
For  stealing  Ormond  and  the  crown ! 

Since  loyalty  does  no  man  good, 

Let's  steal  the  king  and  outdo  Blood. 

Lord  Rochester. 

Blum  (Robert,  German  democrat  and  politician, 
founder  of  the  Schiller  Association  and  of  the  Ger- 
man Catholic  Church  at  Leipsic,  popular  leader  of 
the  Liberal  party  in  the  Revolution  of  1848.  On 
the  capture  of  the  city  of  Windischg-ratz  he  was 
arrested,  tried  by  court-martial,  convicted  of  having 
instigated  the  uprising,  and  shot),  1807- 1848.  "I 
am  ready — let  there  be  no  mistake  and  no  delay," 
to  the  soldiers  who  were  charged  with  the  duty  of 
shooting  him. 


ing  lines — a  parody,  or  rather  a   personal   appropriation,  of 
the  Marseillaise : 

"  Allons,  pauvre  victime, 
Ton    jour    de    mort    est    arrive: 
Centre  toi   de   la   tyrannie 
Le  couteau  sanglant  est  leve !  " 

Being  then  tied  to  the  plank  and  flung  into  the  usual 
horizontal  position  in  order  to  be  brought  under  the  blade, 
he  still  went  on — Allons,  pauvre  zncti)ne,  Ton  jour  de  mort 
.  .  .  — until  a  heavy  sound  was  heard,  the  blade  fell,  some- 
thing else  fell  with  it,  and  all  was  over. — Jacox. 

36 


Distlnouisbet)  /IDeit  an&  Momen 

He  entreated  as  a  last  favor,  that  he  might  be 
permitted  to  write  to  his  wife,  which  was  agreed 
to,  and  the  letter  concluded  with  these  words :  "  Let 
not  my  fate  discourage  you;  but  bring  up  our  chil- 
dren so  that  they  may  not  bring  disgrace  on  my 
name."  "  Now  I  am  ready,"  said  he,  addressing 
the  officers  of  justice,  when  the  letter  was  done. 
Arrived  at  the  place  of  execution,  he  said  to  one 
of  the  cuirassiers  of  his  escort,  "  Here,  then,  we  are 
come  to  the  last  stage  of  my  journey."  He  desired 
not  to  have  his  eyes  bandaged;  and  this  being  re- 
fused, lest  his  unsteadiness  should  cause  the  men  to 
miss  their  aim,  he  blindfolded  himself,  and  knelt 
down  with  manly  courage.  He  fell  pierced  by  three 
balls,  and  died  instantly. — Balleydier,  ii.  366,  367. 

BoEHM  or  Boh  ME  (Jacob,  German  mystic  who 
believed  himself  divinely  illuminated  and  gifted  with 
an  understanding  of  the  secrets  of  nature  and  grace. 
Some  of  his  writings  are  so  obscure  and  visionary 
as  to  be  well  nigh  incomprehensible,  yet  he  numbered 
among  his  admirers  many  learned  and  distinguished 
persons  who  sat  at  the  feet  of  the  "  phylosophical 
shoemaker  of  Gorlitz,"  and  adopted  his  most  re- 
markable opinions),  1575-1624.  "Do  yon  hear  the 
music  f    Now  I  ^0  hence." 

BoERHAAVE  (Herman,  Dutch  physician  and  phil- 
osopher), 1 668- 1 738.  "He  that  loves  God  ought 
to  think  nothing  desirable  but  what  is  pleasing  to  the 
Supreme  Goodness." 

37 


Xa£5t  Mor^s  ot 

The  reputation  of  Boerhaave  as  a  physician  and 
a  man  of  learning  is  perhaps  without  a  parallel  in 
history.  His  fame  extended  not  only  to  every  part 
of  Christendom,  but  to  the  farthest  bounds  of  Asia. 
A  Chinese  mandarin  addressed  a  letter  to  him  with 
this  superscription,  "  To  Boerhaave,  Physician  in 
Europe,"  and  the  missive  was  duly  received.  .  .  . 
His  intense  application  to  study,  and  the  exposure 
incident  to  his  professional  duties,  had  brought  upon 
him  (in  1732)  a  severe  illness,  which  confined  him 
to  his  bed  for  several  months.  When  he  recovered, 
the  inhabitants  of  Leyden  celebrated  the  joyful 
event  by  a  public  illumination. — Lippincott. 

BoiLEAu  (Boileau-Despreaux,  Nicolas,  eminent 
French  poet  and  satirist),  1636-1711.  "  It  is  a  great 
consolation  for  a  dying  poet  to  have  never  written 
a  word  against  morality." 

BoLEYN  or  BuLLEN  (Aunc,  wife  of  Henry  VHI), 
1 507- 1 536.  Just  before  she  knelt  to  lay  her  head 
on  the  block  she  clasped  her  neck  with  her  hands, 
and  said :  "  It  is  small,  very  small  indeed." 

BoLiNGBROKE  (Henry  St.  John,  Viscount,  Eng- 
lish author,  orator,  and  politician),  1 678-1 751.  At 
last,  though  the  precise  words  are  not  preserved,  he 
gave  directions  that  no  clergyman  should  visit  him, 
and  avowed  his  adherence  to  the  deistical  principles 
to  which  he  had  held  through  his  life. 

His  last  words  to  Lord  Chesterfield  were :  "  God, 

38 


H)lstfnouisbe&  /IDen  an&  Momen 

who  placed  me  here,  zvill  do  what  he  pleases  with 
me  hereafter,  and  he  knows  best  what  to  do.  May 
he  bless  you."  ^ 

The  dreadful  malady  under  which  Bolingbroke 
lingered,  and  at  length  sank — a  cancer  in  the  face 
— he  bore  with  exemplary  fortitude,  a  fortitude 
drawn  from  the  natural  resources  of  his  mind,  and 
unhappily  not  aided  by  the  consolation  of  any  re- 
ligion ;  for,  having  early  cast  off  the  belief  in  revela- 
tion, he  had  substituted,  in  its  stead,  a  dark  and 
gloomy  naturalism,  which  even  rejected  those  glim- 
merings of  hope  as  to  futurity  not  untasted  by  the 
wiser  of  the  heathens. — Lord  Brougham. 

Booth  (John  Wilkes,  American  actor,  the  as- 
sassin of  President  Lincoln), — 1865.  "  Useless!  use- 
less! "  Said  to  the  officer  who  demanded  that  he 
should  surrender. 

There  has  been  some  strange  discussion  of  a 
mysterious  paper  said  to  have  been  delivered  to  Mr. 
John  F.  Coyle,  editor  of  "  The  National  Intelli- 
gencer "  and  purporting  to  be  a  statement  to  the 


*  It  is  too  early  for  the  last  words  of  John  Burroughs 
(may  it  be  yet  many  years  before  they  are  spoken),  but  we 
are  struck  with  the  wonderful  accord  between  the  last  words 
of  Bolingbroke  and  the  closing  paragraph  to  the  preface  with 
which  Burroughs  introduces  his,  "The  Light  of  Day:"  "I 
am  content  to  let  the  unseen  powers  go  their  own  way  with 
me  and  mine  without  question  or  distrust.  They  brought 
me  here,  and  I  have  found  it  well  to  be  here ;  in  due  time 
they  will  take  me  hence,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  will  be 
well  for  me  too." 

39 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

public  from  John  Wilkes  Booth.  An  eye-witness  re- 
lates that  on  the  night  of  the  assassination  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln,  a  private  dinner-party  was  in  progress 
in  a  back  room  at  Wormley's  restaurant,  in  Wash- 
ington, at  which  were  present  General  Baird,  Robert 
Johnson,  the  Hon.  Samuel  J.  Randall,  John  Mor- 
rissey,  John  F.  Coyle,  editor  of  "  The  National  In- 
telligencer," and  one  other  gentleman.  During  the 
progress  of  the  dinner  a  waiter,  who  had  been  out 
on  the  street,  returned  and  stated  that  the  President 
had  been  shot  at  Ford's  Theatre.  The  news  created 
great  consternation  in  the  party,  who  at  first  thought 
the  waiter  was  drunk  or  crazy.  Later,  when  they 
were  assured  that  it  was  a  fact,  and  that  John  Wilkes 
Booth  was  accused  of  the  crime,  John  F.  Coyle, 
with  blanched  features  and  trembling  lips,  said : 
"  My  God,  gentlemen !  This  very  day  I  met  John 
Wilkes  Booth  on  the  market-space.  He  was  on  a 
bay  mare,  and  rode  up  to  me  and  handed  me  a 
sealed  envelope,  saying,  as  he  did  so,  '  If  you  hear 
of  me  within  twenty- four  hours,  publish  this ;  if  you 
do  not  hear  of  me  within  that  time,  destroy  this,' 
and  he  rode  away.  Here  is  the  package,"  continued 
Mr.  Coyle,  producing  a  letter  envelope  from  his 
pocket;  "  what  shall  I  do  with  it?  "  "  Destroy  it  at 
once,"  said  Mr.  Randall.  "  They  will  hang  any- 
body who  knows  anything  about  the  assassination, 
no  matter  how  innocently  he  may  have  come  by  the 
knowledge;  don't  open  it — burn  it  up  just  as  it  is!  " 
"  Yes,"  said  Mr.  Morrissey,  "  burn  it  up,  for  God's 

40 


2)istfnouisbe&  /IDen  an&  IHlomcn 

sake,  at  once."  The  doors  were  carefully  locked.  A 
fire  was  made  in  the  grate,  and  the  mysterious  en- 
velope and  its  contents  were  carefully  burned.  Even 
the  ashes  were  collected  and  placed  in  a  dish ;  water 
was  poured  upon  them,  and  the  two  were  mixed 
into  a  paste,  which  was  afterward  put  into  the  fire 
and  burned  again. 

Borgia  (Cesare),  killed  at  the  siege  of  the  Castle 
of  Biano  in  1507.     "I  die  unprepared." 

Cesare  Borgia  was  one  of  the  most  crafty,  cruel, 
and  corrupt  men  of  that  corrupt  age.  No  crime 
was  too  foul  for  him  to  perpetrate  or  be  suspected 
of.  He  was  charged  with  the  murder  of  his  elder 
brother,  Giovanni,  duke  of  Gandia,  and  of  Alfonso, 
the  husband  of  Lucrezia;  with  plotting  with  his 
father  the  murder  of  Cardinal  Corneto;  and  with 
incest  with  his  sister.  In  his  wars  he  had  garrisons 
massacred,  and  carried  off  bands  of  women  to 
gratify  his  lust." — Gate. 

BossuET  (Jacques  Benigne,  French  divine  and 
pulpit  orator),  1627-1704.  "  /  suffer  the  violence  of 
pain  and  death,  but  I  knozv  ivhoni  I  have  believed." 

BouRG  DU  (Anne,  French  magistrate.  He  was 
falsely  accused  of  the  assassination  of  Minard,  and 
was  executed  in  1559),  1 521- 1559.  "Six  feet  of 
earth  for  my  body,  and  the  infinite  heavens  for  my 
soul,  is  what  I  shall  soon  have." 

41 


Boyle  (Robert,  chemist  and  experimental  philoso- 
pher), 1626-1691.  "  We  shall  there  desire  nothing 
that  we  have  not,  except  more  tongues  to  sing  more 
praise  to  Him." 

Boyle  learned  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  languages 
to  qualify  himself  to  write  in  defence  of  revealed 
religion;  and  printed  at  his  own  expense  a  transla- 
tion of  the  gospels  into  the  Malay  language.  He 
refused  a  peerage,  which  was  offered  to  him  re- 
peatedly. It  has  been  remarked  that  he  was  born 
in  the  year  of  Bacon's  death,  as  the  person  destined 
by  nature  to  succeed  him ;  and  he  may  be  accounted 
the  most  zealous  and  successful  disciple  of  Bacon 
in  inductive  philosophy.  His  merits  were  com- 
memorated by  Boerhaave  in  terms  like  these :  "  Mr. 
Boyle,  the  ornament  of  his  age  and  country,  suc- 
ceeded to  the  genius  and  talents  of  Lord  Verulam. 
We  owe  to  him  the  secrets  of  fire,  air,  water,  ani- 
mals, plants  and  fossils."  He  was  distinguished  for 
his  liberality  and  active  benevolence. — Lippincott. 

BozzARis  (Marcos,  a  Greek  patriot,  celebrated  by 
Fitz-Greene  Halleck  in  a  thrilling  poem),  1790- 
1823.  "^  O,  to  die  for  Liberty  is  a  pleasure  and  not 
a  pain." 

Bradford  (Alden,  Secretary  of  the  State  of 
Massachusetts  from  18 12  to  1824,  and  author  of  a 
history  of  Massachusetts  and  other  works),  1765- 
1843.    "  Peace! " 

42 


2)fstfnguisbc&  /IDen  an^  Momen 

Bradford  (Andrew,  publisher  of  the  "  American 
Weekly  Mercury,"  the  first  newspaper  that  appeared 
in  Philadelphia,  He  was  the  only  printer  in  Pennsyl- 
vania from  17 12  to  1723),  1 686- 1 742.  "  O  Lord, 
forgive  the  errata!" 

Bradford's  last  words  rest  upon  the  douBtful  au- 
thority of  an  old  letter  signed  by  George  E.  Clark- 
son. 

Bradford  (John,  a  martyr  of  the  Reformation), 
— 1555-  "  ^^  of  good  comfort,  brother,  for  we  shall 
have  a  merry  supper  zvith  the  Lord  this  night:  if 
there  he  any  way  to  heaven  on  horseback  or  in  fiery 
chariots,  this  is  it."  These  words  were  addressed 
to  a  fellow  martyr. 

Brainerd  (David,  Missionary  to  the  Indians), 
1 71 8- 1 747.  "Lord,  now  let  thy  servant  depart  in 
peace." 

Some  say  his  last  words  were :  "  I  am  almost  in 
eternity.  I  long  to  be  there.  My  work  is  done. 
The  watcher  is  with  me;  why  tarry  the  wheels  of 
his  chariot?  " 

Bremer  (Fredrika,  the  most  celebrated  of  Swed- 
ish novelists,  called  the  "  Miss  Austen  of  Sweden  "), 
1 802- 1 865.  "Ah!  my  child,  let  us  speak  of  Christ's 
love — the  best,  the  highest  love! " 

Brocklesby  (Richard,  distinguished  English 
physician),  1722- 1797.  "  What  an  idle  piece  of 
ceremony  this  buttoning  and  unbuttoning  is  to  me, 

43 


Xast  MorC)S  of 

now,"  to  his  servants  who  had  undressed  him  and 
prepared  him  for  bed. 

Bronte  (Rev.  Patrick,  father  of  Charlotte  and 
Emily),  1 774-1861.  "  While  there  is  life  there  is 
will."    He  died  standing.  ^ 

Bronte  (Emily ) ,  1 8 1 8- 1 848.  "  No,  no ! "  to  her 
sister  who  begged  her  to  allow  them  to  put  her  to 
bed.    She  died  sitting  upon  the  sofa. 

Brooks  (Phillips,  Bishop  of  Massachusetts), 
1835- 1 893.  His  last  written  words  were,  "  There  is 
no  other  life  but  the  eternal/' 


*  Some  have  thought  it  an  evidence  of  strength  of  will 
to  die  standing;  and  some  have  even  wished  to  be  buried 
in  that  posture.  In  Oliver  Heywood's  Register  is  the  follow- 
ing entry : — "  Oct.  28,  1684.  Captain  Taylor's  wife,  of  Brig- 
house,  buried  in  her  garden,  with  head  upwards,  standing 
upright,  by  her  husband,  daughter,  and  other  Quakers." 

Mrs.  George  S.  Norton,  of  Pawling,  N.  Y.,  was  buried  at 
her  own  request  sitting  upright  in  a  rocking  chair  enclosed 
in  a  box  made  of  seasoned  chestnut.  The  funeral  services 
were  held  July  27,  1899. — Albany  Argus. 

M.  Halloin  of  the  neighborhood  of  Caen,  in  Normandy, 
who  died  in  the  early  part  of  this  century,  when  he  felt 
his  end  approach  inserted  in  his  last  will  a  clause  expressing 
his  desire  to  be  buried  at  night,  in  his  bed,  comfortably 
tucked  in,  with  pillows  and  coverlets  as  he  had  died.  As 
no  opposition  was  raised  against  the  execution  of  this  clause, 
a  huge  pit  was  sunk,  and  the  corpse  was  lowered  into  its 
last  resting  place,  without  any  alteration  having  been  made 
in  the  position  in  which  death  had  overtaken  him.  Boards 
were  laid  over  the  bed,  that  the  falling  earth  might  not 
disturb  this  imperturbable  quietist. — S.  Baring-Gould:  "  Curi- 
osities of  Olden  Times." 

44 


H)i5tlnouf9beb  /IDen  ant)  Momen 

Brown  (John,  Scottish  Hnguist  and  preacher), 
1 720- 1 787.    "  My  Christ." 

Brown  (John,  hanged  December  2,  1859,  for  his 
part  in  the  famous  Harper's  Ferry  insurrection), 
1 800- 1 859.  "I  am  ready  at  any  time — do  not  keep 
me  waiting,"  said  to  the  sheriff  who  asked  him  if  he 
should  give  him  a  private  signal  before  the  fatal 
moment. 

His  last  request  was  not  complied  with.  The 
troops  that  had  formed  his  escort  had  to  be  put  in 
their  proper  position,  and  while  this  was  going  on 
he  stood  for  some  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  blindfolded ; 
the  rope  round  his  neck  and  his  feet  on  the  treacher- 
ous platform,  expecting  instantly  the  fatal  act;  but 
he  stood  for  this  comparatively  long  time  upright  as 
a  soldier  in  position  and  motionless. — J.  T.  L.  Pres- 
ton (an  eye-witness  of  John  Brown's  death)  in  the 
Bivouac  for  August,  1886. 

Browning  (Elizabeth  Barrett,  English  poet), 
1 805- 1 86 1.     "It  is  beautiful ." 

Bruce  (Robert,  distinguished  divine  of  the  Scot- 
tish Church),  about  15 54-1 631.  " Nozv  God  he 
with  you,  my  dear  children;  I  have  breakfasted 
with  you,  and  shall  sup  zuitJi  my  Lord  Jesus  Christ" 

Robert  Bruce,  the  morning  before  he  died,  being 
at  breakfast,  and  having,  as  he  used,  eaten  an  egg, 
said  to  his  daughter:    "I  think  I  am  yet  hungry; 

45 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

you  may  bring  me  another  egg-."  But,  having  mused 
awhile,  he  said :  "  Hold,  daughter,  hold ;  my  Master 
calls  me."  With  these  words  his  sight  failed  him, 
on  which  he  called  for  the  Bible,  and  said :  "  Turn 
to  the  eighth  chapter  of  Romans  and  set  my  finger 
on  the  words,  'I  am  persuaded  that  neither  death, 
nor  life,'  etc.,  '  shall  be  able  to  separate  me  from  the 
love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.'  " 
When  this  was  done,  he  said :  "  Now,  is  my  finger 
upon  them  ?  "  Being  told  it  was,  he  added :  "  Now, 
God  be  with  you,  my  dear  children ;  I  have  break- 
fasted with  you,  and  shall  sup  with  my  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  this  night."     And  then  he  expired. 

Bruno  (Giordano,  philosopher  of  an  independent 
and  speculative  mind.  He  was  burned  at  Rome 
in  1600  by  the  Inquisition  on  the  charges  of  heresy 
and  apostasy),  15 50- 1600.  "/  die  a  martyr  and 
zmllingly — my  soul  shall  mount  up  to  heaven  in 
this  chariot  of  smoke."  ^ 


^  There  is  a  story  which  comes  to  us  from  Scioppius,  that 
Bruno  rejected  "  with  a  terrible  menacing  countenance " 
a  crucifix  which  was  held  up  to  him,  and  which  may  have 
been  heated  red  hot,  as  was  customary,  in  order  to  con- 
vince the  spectators  of  the  sufiferer's  impiety,  and  prevent 
them  from  feeHng  pity  for  him  in  his  distress.  The  story 
has  no  very  good  foundation,  but  we  know  that  heated 
crucifixes  were  not  uncommon  among  the  ghostly  persecutors 
of  earlier  and  darker  days ;  and  we  can  easily  see  how  a 
man  asked  to  kiss  such  a  crucifix  might  exhibit  "  a  terrible 
menacing  countenance." 

46 


2)istinGUfsbe&  /IDen  an&  Momen 

Brutus  (Decimus  Junius,  one  of  the  murderers 
of  Caesar), — b.  c.  ^^.  Dion  Cassius  (Lib.  xlvii) 
represents  Brutus  as  quoting,  just  before  his  death, 
the  following  passage  from  Euripides,  "  O  wretched 
virtue!  thou  art  a  bare  name!  I  mistook  thee  for 
a  substance;  but  thou  thyself  art  the  slave  of  for- 
tune." 

Bryant  (William  Cullen,  American  poet  and 
journalist),  1794- 1878.  "  Whose  house  is  this? 
What  street  are  we  in?  Why  did  you  bring  me 
here?  " 

His  death  was  caused  by  a  blow  on  the  head 
received  in  falling  upon  the  stone  steps  in  front  of 
Mr.  James  Grant  Wilson's  house  in  New  York  City. 
He  was  carried  into  Mr.  Wilson's  house,  where  he 
soon  recovered  sufficiently  to  be  removed  to  his 
own  home.  But  his  thoughts  were  clouded,  and 
he  did  not  know  where  he  was. 

Buchanan  (George,  Scottish  historian,  scholar, 
and  Latin  poet),  1506- 1582.  "It  matters  little  to 
me;  for  if  I  am  but  once  dead  they  may  bury  me  or 
not  bury  me  as  they  please.  They  may  leave  my 
corpse  to  rot  where  I  die  if  they  wish."  To  his 
servant,  whom  he  had  directed  to  distribute  his 
property  among  the  poor,  and  who  thereupon  asked 
him,  "  W"hG  will  defray  the  expenses  of  your 
burial?" 

47 


Xast  TllIlor^5  of 

Buchanan  (James,  fifteenth  President  of  the 
United  States),  1791-1868.  "0  Lord  Almighty, 
as  thou  wilt! " 

Buckle  (Henry  Thomas,  author  of  "The  His- 
tory of  Civihzation "),  1822-1862.  "Poor  little 
boys! " 

Bull  (George,  Bishop  of  Saint  David's,  author 
of  "  The  Defence  of  the  Nicene  Faith  "),  1634-1710. 
''  Amen." 

BuNYAN  (John,  author  of  Pilgrim's  Prog- 
ress"), 1628-1688.  "Weep  not  for  me,  hut  for 
yourselves.  I  go  to  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  zvho  no  doubt  will  receive  me,  though  a  sin- 
ner, through  the  mediation  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ; 
where  I  hope  we  shall  ere  long  meet  to  sing  the  new 
song  and  remain  happy  forever — forever,  world 
without  end.     Amen!" 

BuoNAROTTi  (Michael  Angelo),  1474- 1564. 
"  My  sold  I  resign  to  God,  my  body  to  the  earth, 
and  my  ivorldly  possessions  to  my  relations;  admon- 
ishing them  that  through  their  lives  and  in  the  hour 
of  death  they  think  upon  the  sufferings  of  Jesus 
Christ.  And  I  do  desire  that  my  body  be  taken  to 
the  city  of  Florence  for  its  last  rest." — Vasari  xii: 
269. 

It  was  now  necessary  to  convey  the  mortal  re- 
mains to  Florence.    Opposition  was  feared  from  the 

48 


2>i5tinouisbe&  /iDen  anb  Momcn 

Romans.  It  was  asserted  that  it  was  not  Michael 
Angelo's  last  wish  to  be  buried  in  his  native  city. 
His  friends  went  secretly  to  work.  The  coffin  was 
conveyed  as  merchandise  out  of  the  gates. 

On  the  eleventh  of  March  it  arrived  at  Florence. 
After  thirty  years  of  voluntary  exile,  Michael  Angelo 
returned,  when  dead,  to  his  native  city.  Only  a 
few  knew  that  it  was  he  who  entered  the  gate  in 
that  covered  coffin. 


In  the  sacristy  the  coffin  was  opened  for  the  first 
time.  The  people  had  forced  their  way  into  the 
church.  There  he  lay;  and,  in  spite  of  three  weeks 
having  elapsed  since  his  death,  he  seemed  unchanged, 
and  bore  no  symptom  of  decay;  the  features  undis- 
figured,  as  if  he  had  just  died. 

Grimm:  "  Life  of  Michael  Angelo." 

About  the  year  1720  the  vault  in  Santa  Croce  was 
opened,  and  the  remains  of  Michael  Angelo  were 
found  not  to  have  lost  their  original  form.  He  was 
habited  in  the  costume  of  the  ancient  citizens  of 
Florence,  in  a  gown  of  green  velvet,  and  slippers  of 
the  same. — Bottari. 

Burke  or  Bourke  (Edmund,  orator,  and  states- 
man), 1 730- 1 797.    ''God  bless  you/' 

Burn  (Andrew,  major-general  in  the  Royal 
Marines),  1742-1814.    "Nobody,  nobody  but  Jesus 

49 


tlast  Mov^s  ot 

Christ.    Christ  crucified  is  the  stay  of  my  poor  soul,'* 
to  one  who  asked  him  if  he  wished  to  see  any  one. 

Burns  (Robert,  the  great  peasant  poet  of  Scot- 
land), 1 759- 1 796.  "  Oh,  don't  let  the  awkward 
squad  fire  over  me! "  He  alluded  to  a  body  of 
Dumfries  militia,  of  which  he  was  a  member,  and 
of  which  he  entertained  a  very  poor  opinion.  * 

Burr  (Aaron,  third  Vice-President  of  the  United 
States.  In  1804  he  fought  his  famous  duel  with 
Hamilton),    1756-1836.     "Madame." 

Burton  (Sir  Richard  F.),  1821-1890.  "Oh 
Puss,  chloroform — ether — or  I  am  a  dead  man,"  said 
to  his  wife  who  feared  to  administer  an  anaesthetic 
without  the  direction  of  a  physician.     Dr.  Barker 


*In  the  Appendix  of  Allan  Cunningham's  "  Life  of  Burns  " 
we  read  of  an  examination  of  the  poet's  Tomb,  made  imme- 
diately  after  that  life   was  published : 

"  When  Burns's  Mausoleum  was  opened  in  March,  1834, 
to  receive  the  remains  of  his  widow,  some  residents  in  Dum- 
fries obtained  the  consent  of  her  nearest  relative  to  take  a 
cast  from  the  cranium  of  the  poet.  This  was  done  during 
the  night  between  the  31st  of  March  and  ist  of  April.  Mr. 
Archibald  Blacklock,  surgeon,  drew  up  the  following  descrip- 
tion: 

"  The  cranial  bones  were  perfect  in  every  respect,  if  we 
except  a  little  erosion  of  their  external  table,  and  firmly 
held  together  by  their  sutures,  &c.,  &c.  Having  completed 
our  intention  [i.  e.,  of  taking  a  plaster  cast  of  the  skull, 
washed  from  every  particle  of  sand,  &c.],  the  skull  securely 
closed  in  a  leaden  case,  was  again  committed  to  the  earth, 
precisely  where  we  found  it." 

50 


iDi5tmaui0be^  /IDen  an^  Moinen 

in  a  letter  to  Lady  Stisled  says  that  a  moment  later 
"  suddenly  tlie  breathing  became  labored,  there 
were  a  few  moments  of  awful  struggle  for  air,  then, 
conscious  to  the  last,  he  exclaimed,  '  I  am  a  dead 
man,'  fell  back  on  his  pillow  and  expired." 

Butler  (Benjamin  Franklin,  attorney-general  of 
the  United  States,  from  1831  to  1834),  1795-1858. 
"  I  have  peace,  perfect  peace.  '  Thou  wilt  keep  him 
in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee.'  " 

Butler  (Joseph,  English  Bishop,  and  author 
of  the  celebrated  "Analogy  of  Religion"),  1692- 
1752.  "  I  have  often  read  and  thought  of  that  scrip- 
ture, hilt  never  till  this  moment  did  I  feel  its  fidl 
power,  and  now  I  die  happy."  These  words  were 
spoken  to  his  chaplain  who  read  him  John  vi.,  and 
called  attention  to  the  37th  verse:  "All  that  the 
Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me;  and  him  that 
Cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out." 

Byron  (George  Gordon  Noel,  Lord,  one  of  the 
greatest  of  English  poets),  1788- 1824.  ""/  must 
sleep  now." 

It  has  been  asserted,  upon  what  authority  the 
compiler  does  not  know,  that  the  last  words  of 
Byron  were,  "Shall  I  sue  for  mercy?"  After  a 
long  pause  he  added,  it  is  said,  "  Come,  come,  no 
weakness :  let  me  be  a  man  to  the  last." 

51 


Xast  Mor&0  of 

Caesar  (Cains  Julius)^  b.  c.  100-44.  "-^^  'w 
Brute!  ^'  to  Marcus  Brutus,  on  discovering  him 
among  the  assassins. 

Authorities  differ :  some  have  it,  "  What !  art  thou, 
too,  one  of  them !  Thou,  my  son !  "  and  others  omit 
the  words  "  my  son."  If,  however,  the  last  two 
words  are  to  be  retained,  they  express  only  the  dif- 
ference of  age  between  Caesar  and  Brutus.  There  is 
no  good  reason  for  regarding  them  as  an  avowal 
that  Brutus  was  the  fruit  of  the  connection  between 
Julius  and  Servilia. 

He  died  in  the  fifty-sixth  year  of  his  age,  and  was 
ranked  amongst  the  gods,  not  only  by  a  formal 
decree,  but  in  the  belief  of  the  vulgar.  For  during 
the  first  games  which  Augustus,  his  heir,  conse- 
crated to  his  memory,  a  comet  blazed  for  seven  days 
together,  rising  always  about  eleven  o'clock;  and 
it  was  supposed  to  be  the  soul  of  Caesar,  now  received 
into  heaven ;  for  which  reason,  likewise,  he  is  repre- 
sented in  his  statue  with  a  star  on  his  brow.  The 
senate-house  in  which  he  was  slain  was  ordered  to 
be  shut  up,  and  a  decree  was  made  that  the  ides  of 
March  should  be  called  parricidal,  and  that  the  sen- 
ate should  never  more  assemble  on  that  day. 

/.  Eugene  Reed:  "  The  Twelve  Ccesars." 

Calderon  (Don  Rodrigo,  adventurer,  who  under 
the  title  of  Marques  de  Siete  Iglesias,  rose  to  the 
first  place  in  Spanish  influence  and  power,  in  the 
time  of  Philip  III.), — 162 1.     "All  my  life  I  have 

52 


Distingufsbeb  /IDen  anb  Momen 

carried  myself  gracefully,"  to  his  confessor  who  re- 
proved him  for  his  ill-timed  regard  for  appearances 
when  about  to  die  upon  the  scaffold. 

Cadogan  (William  Bromley,  English  clergy- 
man), 1751-1797.  "  /  thank  you  for  all  yotir  faith- 
fid  services;  God  bless  you,"  to  a  servant  who  had 
been  with  him  many  years. 

Calhoun  (John  Caldwell,  Vice-President  of  the 
United  States,  called  the  "  Father  of  State-rights  "), 
1782-1850.  "  The  South!  The  South!  God  knows 
what  zvill  become  of  her! " 

"  He  died   under   the  firm   impression  that  the 
South  was  betrayed  and  gone." 
An  unpublished  letter  from  Senator  Hunter  of  Vir- 
ginia. 

Calhoun  (Simeon  Howard,  missionary  in  the 
Holy  Land  for  nearly  forty  years.  He  was  a  thor- 
ough scholar  in  Arabic  and  Turkish  languages,  and 
assisted  Dr.  Goodell  in  making  the  first  translation 
of  the  Bible  into  Turkish),  1804-1876.  "  Were  the 
church  of  Christ  what  she  should  be,  twenty  years 
would  not  pass  away  without  the  story  of  the  cross 
being  uttered  in  the  ear  of  every  living  person'* 

Calvin  (John,  one  of  the  greatest  of  the  Protes- 
tant Reformers,  and  "  The  Father  of  Presbyterian- 
ism"),  1509-1564.  "Thou,  Lord,  bruiscst  me;  but 
I  am  abundantly  satisfied,  since  it  is  from  thy  hand." 

53 


Xast  morbs  ot 

On  the  day  of  his  death,  he  appeared  stronger, 
and  spoke  with  less  difficidty;  but  this  was  the  last 
effort  of  nature,  for  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  eve- 
ning, certain  symptoms  of  dissolution  manifested 
themselves.  When  one  of  his  domestics  brought  one 
of  the  brethren,  and  me,  who  had  only  just  left  him, 
this  intelligence,  I  returned  immediately  with  all 
speed,  and  found  he  had  died  in  so  very  tranquil  a 
manner,  that  without  his  feet  and  hands  being  in 
any  respect  discomposed,  or  his  breathing  increased, 
his  senses,  judgment  and  in  some  measure  his  voice, 
remaining  entire  to  his  very  last  gasp,  he  appeared 
more  to  resemble  one  in  a  state  of  sleep  than  death. 
.  .  .  At  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  on  Sunday, 
his  body  was  carried  to  the  common  burying-place, 
called  Plein  Palais,  without  extraordinary  pomp. 
His  funeral,  however,  was  attended  by  the  members 
of  the  senate,  the  pastors,  all  the  professors  of  the 
college,  and  a  great  portion  of  the  citizens.  The 
abundance  of  tears  shed  on  this  occasion  afforded 
the  strongest  evidence  of  the  sense  which  they  en- 
tertained of  their  loss.  According  to  his  own  direc- 
tions, no  hillock,  no  monument  was  erected  to  his 
memory, — Theodore  Beza:  "  Life  of  John  Calvin.'* 

Campbell  (Thomas,  English  poet),  1777- 1844. 
"  No;  it  was  one  Tom  Campbell."  Campbell's 
friends  were  doubtful  whether  he  was  conscious  or 
not  of  what  was  going  on  in  his  presence,  and  had 
recourse  to  an  artifice  to  learn.    One  of  them  spoke 

54 


Distinouisbet)  /IDen  an&  Momen 

of  the  poem  "  Hohenlinden,"  and  pretending  to  for- 
get the  author's  name,  said  he  had  heard  it  was  hy 
Mr.  Rohinson.  Campbell  saw  the  trick,  was  amused, 
and  said  playfully,  but  in  a  calm  and  distinct  tone, 
"No;  it  was  one  Tom  Campbell." 

Some  time  before  he  uttered  his  last  words  he 
said : — 

"  When  I  think  of  the  existence  which  shall  com- 
mence when  the  stone  is  laid  over  my  head,  how 
can  literary  fame  appear  to  me,  to  any  one,  but  as 
nothing?  I  believe,  when  I  am  gone,  justice  will 
be  done  to  me  in  this  way — that  I  was  a  pure  writer. 
It  is  an  inexpressible  comfort,  at  my  time  of  life, 
to  be  able  to  look  back  and  feel  that  I  have  not  writ- 
ten one  line  against  religion  or  virtue. 

Gang  (Alonzo,  the  "  Michael  Angelo  of  Spain  "), 
1601-1667.  "  Vex  me  not  zvith  this  thing,  but  give 
me  a  simple  cross,  that  I  may  adore  it,  both  as  it  is 
in  itself  and  as  I  can  figure  it  in  my  mind,"  to  a 
priest  who  gave  him  an  elaborate  but  badly  carved 
cross.  He  had  previously  refused  the  sacrament 
from  the  hand  of  a  priest  who  had  administered  it 
to  converted  Jews. 

Carlyle  (Thomas,  essayist,  translator,  and  his- 
torian), 1 795- 1 88 1.  His  mind  was  wandering  when 
Froude  went  to  his  bedside,  but  he  recognized  him 
and  said :  "  /  am  very  ill.  Is  it  not  str3.nge  that  these 
people  should  have  chosen  the  very  oldest  man  in 
all  Britain  to  make  suffer  in  this  ivay?  "     Froude 

55 


Xast  mor^s  ot 

answered,  "  We  do  not  know  exactly  why  those 
people  act  as  they  do.  They  may  have  reasons  we 
cannot  guess  at.  "  Yes,"  said  Carlyle,  "  it  would 
be  rash  to  say  that  they  have  no  reasons."  When 
Fronde  saw  him  next,  his  speech  was  gone.  ^ 

Carnot  (Marie  Franqois  Sadi-Carnot,  President 
of  the  French  Republic,  assassinated  by  Cesare  Gio- 


*  On  February  5th,  188 r,  in  the  tranquil  exhaustion  of  a 
ripe  old  age,  this  true  Sage  of  modern  times  passed  away 
at  his  home  in  Cheyne  Row,  Chelsea,  where  he  had  lived 
for  fifty  years ;  and, — as  the  Times  remarked, — the  world 
seemed  duller,  colder,  and  darker,  in  that  this  one  grey  old 
man   had   left   it. 

No  time  was  lost  in  collecting  funds  to  provide  for  a  public 
monument  of  the  philosopher.  The  work  was  entrusted  to 
Mr.  J.  E.  Boehm,  R.A.,  with  the  result  of  a  most  admirable 
statue  in  bronze,  life-size,  representing  Carlyle  as  he  was  in 
his  latter  days,  in  an  attitude  of  thought,  seated  in  an  arm- 
chair, and  wearing  his  well-known  dressing-gown.  "  For 
this  noble  piece  of  portraiture,"  Mr.  Ruskin  wrote  of  it,  "  I 
cannot  trust  myself  to  express  my  personal  gratitude,  or  to 
speak  at  all  of  the  high  and  harmonious  measure  in  which 
it  seems  to  me  to  express  the  mind  and  features  of  my  dear 
master."  It  is  appropriately  placed  in  the  little  public  garden, 
at  the  end  of  Great  Cheyne  Row,  Chelsea,  where  Carlyle  had 
spent  the  last  forty  years  of  his  life.  There,  on  October 
26th,  1882,  in  presence  of  many  of  those  who  were  his  at- 
tached friends  in  life,  it  was  unveiled  by  Professor  Tyndall, 
who  delivered  an  eloquent  address  on  the  occasion.  Among 
those  who  assisted  were  Lord  Houghton,  Mrs.  Oliphant,  Miss 
Swanwick,  Moncure  D.  Conway,  Robert  Browning,  Dr.  Mar- 
tineau,  Mr.  W.  E.  H.  Lecky,  and  others.  A  simple  inscription 
on  the  massive  pedestal,  of  Aberdeen  granite,  records  the 
dates  of  the  birth  and  death  of  the  remarkable  man  in  whose 
honour  it  is  erected. — William  Bates. 

56 


2)isttn(}uf0bet>  /IDen  an&  TKHomen 

vanni  Santo  in  Lyons,  June  24,  1894),  1837- 1894. 
"  I  am  grateful  for  your  presence."  These  words 
were  in  response  to  those  of  Dr.  Poncet  who  leaned 
over  the  bed  on  which  the  President  was  lying,  and 
said,  "  Your  friends  are  here,  Monsieur  le  Presi- 
dent." 

Cary  (Alice,  American  poetess  and  magazine 
writer ) ,  1 820- 1 87 1 .    "I  zuant  to  go  away." 

Cavour  (Camillo  Benso,  Count  de,  Italian  states- 
man), 1 8 10- 1 86 1.  "  No,  your  Majesty,  to-morrow 
you  will  not  see  me  here,"  to  Victor  Emmanuel,  who, 
as  he  turned  away  in  tears,  said  to  Cavour,  "  I  shall 
come  to  see  you  again  to-morrow." 

He  secured  liberty  of  the  press,  and  favored  re- 
ligious toleration  and  free  trade.  Among  the  im- 
portant measures  of  his  administration  were  his 
rebellion  against  papal  domination,  and  his  alliance 
with  France  and  England  in  the  war  against  Russia 
in  1855.  After  the  close  of  the  war  he  devoted  his 
efforts  to  the  liberation  and  unity  of  Italy,  undis- 
mayed by  the  angry  fulminations  of  the  Vatican. 

Lippincott. 

Cazotte  (Jacques,  French  poet  and  royalist,  exe- 
cuted by  the  revolutionists  September  25th,  1792), 
1 720- 1 792.  "My  dear  wife,  my  dear  children,  do 
not  weep:  do  not  forget  me,  hut  above  all,  remember 
never  to  offend  God." 

57 


Xast  Wort)s  of 

Channing  (William  Ellery,  distinguished  Uni- 
tarian clergyman  and  writer  of  rare  grace  and 
beauty.  He  has  been  called  the  "  Father  of  Amer- 
ican Unitarianism  "),  1780-1842.  ''You  need  not 
be  anxious  concerning  to-night.  It  will  he  very 
peaceful  and  quiet  zvith  me." 

He  turned  his  face  toward  that  sinking  orb,  and 
he  and  the  sun  went  away  together.  Each,  as  the 
other,  left  the  smile  of  his  departure  spread  on  all 
around, — the  sun  on  the  clouds ;  he  on  the  heart. 

Theodore  Parker. 

His  remains  were  brought  to  Boston,  and  com- 
mitted to  the  grave  amidst  the  regrets  of  all  classes 
and  parties;  and,  as  the  procession  moved  from  the 
church,  the  bell  of  the  Catholic  Cathedral  tolled  his 
knell, — a  fact  never  perhaps  paralleled  in  the  history 
of  Romanism.  And  so  departed  one  of  the  great 
men  of  the  Republic, — one  who,  amidst  its  servility 
to  mammon  and  slavery,  ceased  not  to  recall  it  to 
the  sense  of  its  honor  and  duty, — a  man  whose 
memory  his  countrymen  will  not  willingly  let  die. 
As  the  visitor  wanders  among  the  shaded  aisles  of 
the  western  part  of  Mount  Auburn,  he  sees  a  massive 
monument  of  marble,  designed  by  Allston,  the  poet- 
painter.  Generous  and  brave  men,  from  whatever 
clime,  resort  to  it,  and  go  from  it  more  generous  and 
brave;  for  there  reposes  the  great  and  good  man 
whom  we  have  commemorated.  The  early  beams, 
intercepted  by  neighboring  heights,  fall  not  upon  the 
spot;  but  the  light  of  high  noon  and  the  later  and 

58 


JDi0tfn(juisbeC>  /IDen  anb  Momen 

benigner  rays  of  the  day  play  through  the  foliage  in 
dazzling  gleams  upon  the  marble, — a  fitting  emblem 
of  his  fame;  for,  when  the  later  and  better  light 
which  is  yet  to  bless  our  desolate  race  shall  come, 
it  will  fall  with  bright  illustration  on  the  character 
of  this  rare  man,  and  on  the  great  aims  of  his  life. 
Methodist  Quarterly  Review,  January,  1849. 

Charles  I.  (Charles  Stuart,  King  of  England), 
1600-1649  "Remember! "  to  William  Juxon, 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  who  declared  to  the 
Commissioners  of  the  Commons  that  the  king's 
last  words  were  meant  as  a  message  to  his  son,  and 
were  intended  to  enjoin  forgiveness  of  his  enemies 
by  his  son  in  the  future.  Some  say  his  last  words 
were,  "  I  fear  not  death ;  death  is  not  terrible  to  me." 
He  was  executed  January  30,  1649.  * 


'  I  mention  the  discovery  of  the  body  of  Charles  I.  when 
George  IV.  was  Prince  Regent.  It  has  been  asserted,  and  is, 
I  believe,  true,  that  the  nation  wished  the  body  of  him  whom 
they  always  called  "the  saint  and  martyr"  to  be  removed 
from  Windsor  and  buried  in  Westminster  Abbey ;  and 
that  a  sum  of  no  less  than  £70,000  was  entrusted  by  Parlia- 
ment to  Charles  II.  to  erect  a  tomb  over  the  remains  of 
his  father.  If  the  story  be  true,  the  entire  sum  disappeared 
and  was  not  put  to  the  intended  purpose.  It  was,  however, 
supposed  that  the  "  White  King's "  coffin,  at  any  rate,  had 
been  transferred  to  the  Abbey.  It  was  in  order  to  settle 
a  doubt  on  this  point  that  George  IV.,  then  Prince  Regent, 
went  down  into  the  vaults  of  Windsor  with  the  famous 
physician,  Sir  Henry  Halford.  There  they  found  the  coffins 
of  Henry  VIII.  and  of  his  wife.  Lady  Jane  Seymour;  and 
between  them  lay  a  coffin  on  which   were  rudely  scratched 

59 


Xast  MorDs  of 

Charles  II.  (of  England,  "  The  Merry  Mon- 
arch ") ,  1630- 1685.  ''  Don't  let  poor  Nelly  starve!  " 
The  king  referred  to  Margaret  Symcott,  known  as 
Eleanor  Gwynne  or  Nell  Gwynn.  She  commenced 
life  as  an  orange-girl  in  the  streets  of  London.  Later 
she  sang  in  taverns,  and  after  a  time  became  a  popu- 
lar actress  in  the  Theatre  Royal.  She  is  remembered 
as  the  mistress  of  Charles  II.  She  seems  to  have 
been  a  very  kind  and  good-hearted  woman.  She 
was  faithful  to  her  royal  lover,  and  upon  his  death 
retired  from  the  world  and  lived  in  seclusion.  * 


the  letters  "  C.  I."  In  order  to  be  sure  that  this  was  indeed 
the  coffin  of  the  executed  king,  they  opened  it — and  there  lay 
before  them  the  handsome  face,  just  as  Vandyke  depicted 
it;  though  (as  always  happens  in  such  cases)  the  nose  fell 
in  immediately  that  the  corpse  was  exposed  to  the  open  air. 
Then — I  simply  tell  the  tale  as  it  was  told  to  me;  for,  though 
there  must  be  some  printed  account  of  the  event,  I  have 
never  seen  it — Sir  Henry  Halford  took  up  by  the  hair 
the  decapitated  head,  and  placed  it  on  the  palm  of  his  hand, 
which  was  covered  by  his  silk  handkerchief.  When  he 
replaced  the  head  in  the  coffin  the  vertebra  of  the  neck,  which 
had  been  smoothly  severed  by  the  axe  of  the  executioner, 
was  lying  on  his  handkerchief ;  and  the  Prince  Regent  re- 
marked to  Sir  Henry  that  this  would  be  an  interesting  relic 
for  him.  He  took  it ;  and  had  it  set  in  gold  with  the  inscrip- 
tion, "  Os  Caroli  Primi.  heu  intercisum."  I  believe  that,  by 
the  wish  and  right-feeling  of  H.  R.  H.  the  Prince  of  Wales, 
this  relic  of  the  hapless  king  has  been  replaced  in  the  coffin. 
Everyone  will  recall  the  sanguinary  epigram  of  Lord  Byron 
upon  the  incident  which  I  have  narrated. — Farrar. 

'  In  his  History  of  the  Stage,  Curll  states  that  Nell  first 
captivated  the  king  by  her  manner  of  delivering  the  epilogue 
to  Dryden's  Tyrannic  Love:  or,  The    Royal    Martyr.      The 

60 


2)f5tin9u{sbe&  /IDen  ant>  "CXHomen 

Charles  V,  (of  France,  called  "  The  Wise."  He 
was  the  son  of  John  II.  who  was  made  prisoner  by 
the  Black  Prince  at  Poitiers),  1337-1380.  "Ah, 
Jesus! " 

Charles  IX.  (of  France,  second  son  of  Henry 
n.  and  Catharine  de'  Medici),  1550- 1574.  "  Nurse, 
nurse,  zvhat  murder!  what  blood!  Oh!  I  have  done 
wrong.  God  pardon  me!"  The  king  referred,  no 
doubt,  to  the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew,  which 
he  occasioned.  Voltaire  tells  us  his  dying  remorse 
was  so  great  that  "  blood  oozed  from  his  pores."  ' 
There  are  recorded  other  examples  of  bloody  sweat. 
It  is  said  of  a  man  at  Lyons  that  when  sentenced  to 


tragedy  was  founded  upon  the  story  of  the  martyrdom  of 
St.  Catherine,  by  way  of  compliment  to  Catherine  of  Braganza. 
She  personated  Valeria,  the  daughter  of  Maximin,  tyrant  of 
Rome. 

*  The  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew  lasted  seven  days,  during 
which  more  than  5,000  persons  were  slain  in  Paris,  and 
about  50,000  in  the  country.  During  all  this  season  of 
murder,  the  king  betrayed  neither  pity  nor  remorse,  but  fired 
with  his  long  gun  at  the  poor  fugitives  across  the  river; 
and  on  viewing  the  body  of  Coligni  on  a  gibbet,  he  exulted 
with  a  fiendish  malignity.  In  early  life  this  monster  had 
been  noted  for  his  cruelty :  nothing  gave  him  greater  pleasure 
than  cutting  off  the  heads  of  asses  or  pigs  with  a  single 
blow  from  his  couteau  de  chasse.  After  the  massacre,  he  is 
said  to  have  contracted  a  singularly  wild  expression  of  feature, 
and  to  have  slept  little  and  waked  in  agonies.  He  attributed 
his  thirst  for  human  blood  to  the  circumstance  of  his  mother 
having  at  an  early  period  of  his  life  familiarized  his  mind 
with  the  brutal  sport  of  hunting  bullocks,  and  with  all  kinds 
of  cruelty. — IVinslozv's  Anatomy  of  Suicide,  p.  52,  note. 

61 


Xast  Mor&6  of 

death  a  bloody  sweat  covered  his  body.  In  the 
Medical  Gazette,  December,  1848,  is  an  account  by 
Dr.  Schneider  of  some  Norwegian  sailors  who,  in  a 
tremendous  storm,  sweated  blood  from  extreme 
terror.  See  also  the  British  Critic,  183 1,  p.  i.  When 
our  Saviour  bore  the  sins  of  the  world  in  the  Garden 
of  Gethsemane,  "  his  sweat  was  as  it  were  great 
drops  of  blood  falling  down  to  the  ground."  (Luke 
xxii.,  44.) 

Charles  V.  (Don  Carlos  I.  of  Spain,  afterwards 
Emperor  of  Germany),  1500-1558.  "Now,  Lord, 
I  go!"  a  moment  later,  with  eyes  fixed  upon  the 
crucifix,  he  added,  "Ay,  Jesus!"  and  expired. 

Charlemagne  (Charles  I.,  King  of  France  and 
Emperor  of  the  West),  242-814.  "Lord,  into  thy 
hands  I  commend  my  spirit" 

Charlotte  (Augusta,  commonly  called  the  Prin- 
cess, daughter  of  George  IV.  and  Queen  Caroline), 
1 796- 18 1 7.  "  You  make  me  drink.  Pray  leave  me 
quiet.  I  iind  it  affects  my  head."  She  died  in  child- 
bed. 

Chastelard,  de  (Pierre  de  Boscosel,  a  young 
French  poet  and  musician  who  became  enamoured 
of  Mary  Queen  of  Scots,  and  concealing  himself  in 
her  bedchamber,  attempted  her  honor.  Mary  par- 
doned his  offence,  but  upon  his  repeating  it,  he  was 

62 


DfstfnGufsbeb  /IDen  an&  Momen 

executed  at  Edinburgh ) ,  1 540- 1 563.  He  died  chant- 
ing a  love-song,  having  on  the  way  to  the  scaffold 
prepared  his  mind  for  the  work  of  the  executioner 
by  reading  Ronsard's  hymn  on  death, 

Chaucer  (Geoffrey,  "  Father  of  English 
Poetry"),  1328-1400.  Chaucer  died  repeating  the 
"  Balade  made  by  Geoffrey  Chaucyer,  when  upon 
his  dethe-bedde,  lying  in  his  grete  anguysse." 

Chenier  (Andre),  1762- 1794.  He  was  waiting 
for  his  turn  to  be  dragged  to  the  guillotine,  when  he 
commenced  this  poem : 

"  Comtne  un  dernier  rayon,  comme  un  dernier  sephyre 
Anime  la  £n  d'lin  beau  jour; 
Au  pied  de  I'echafaud  j'essaie  encore  ma  lyre, 
Peut-etre  est  ce  bientot  mon  tour; 

"Peut-etre  avant  que  I'hcure  en  cercle  promenee 
Ait  pose  sur  I'eniail  brillant, 
Dans  les  soixante  pas  ou  sa  route  est  bornee. 
Son  pied  sonore  et  vigilatit, 

"he  sommeil  du  tombeau  pressera  me  paupiere — " 

Here,  at  this  pathetic  line,  was  Andre  Chenier  sum- 
moned to  the  guillotine !  Never  was  a  more  beauti- 
ful effusion  of  grief  interrupted  by  a  mor.e  affecting 
incident. — Curiosities  of  Literature. 

Chesterfield  (Philip  Dormer  Stanhope),  1694- 
1773-    "  Give  Day  Rolles  a  chair." 

63 


Xast  'mottle  of 

Chopin  (Frederick,  distinguished  Polish  pianist 
and  composer),  1 8 10-1849.  '"  Who  is  near  me?" 
he  was  told  Gutman — his  favorite  pupil.  He  bent 
his  head  to  kiss  the  hand  of  his  dear  friend  and 
pupil,  and  in  that  act  of  love  and  devotion  died. 

Chrysostom  (John,  called  "Saint"),  350-407. 
He  died  at  the  close  of  church-service,  with  the 
words,  "  Glory  to  God  for  all  things,  Amen." 

Splendor  of  intellect,  mellowness  of  heart,  and 
gorgeousness  of  fancy  were  the  characteristics  of 
this  greatest  of  preachers. 

Chudleigh  (Elizabeth,  Duchess  of  Kingston. 
She  was  an  adventuress  famous  throughout  Eng- 
land for  her  wonderful  beauty  and  for  her  wild  and 
wayward  life),  1720- 1788.  "  /  will  lie  down  on  the 
couch;  I  can  sleep,  and  after  that  I  shall  he  entirely 
recovered." 

Cleopatra  (Queen  of  Egypt,  daughter  of 
Ptolemy  Auletes),  b.  c.  69-30.  "Here  thou  art, 
then!"  These  words,  which  are  traditional,  she  is 
said  to  have  addressed  to  the  asp  with  which  she 
committed  suicide. 

When  she  heard  that  it  was  Caesar's  intention  to 
send  her  into  Syria,  she  asked  permission  to  visit 
Antony's  tomb,  over  which  she  poured  forth  most 
bitter  lamentations.  "  Hide  me,  hide  me,"  she  ex- 
claimed, "  with  thee  in  the  grave ;  for  life,  since  thou 
hast  left  it,  has  been  misery  to  me."    After  crown- 

64 


2)istmoui5bc^  /IDen  an&  Momen 

ing  the  tomb  with  flowers,  she  kissed  it,  and  ordered 
a  bath  to  be  prepared.  She  then  sat  down  to  a  mag- 
nificent supper,  after  which  a  peasant  came  to  the 
gate  with  a  small  basket  of  figs  covered  with  leaves, 
which  was  admitted  into  the  monument.  Amongst 
the  figs  and  under  the  leaves  was  concealed  the  asp 
which  Cleopatra  applied  to  her  bosom.  She  was 
found  dead,  attired  in  one  of  her  most  gorgeous 
dresses,  decorated  with  brilliants,  and  lying  on  her 
golden  bed. — Winsloiv:  "  Anatomy  of  Suicide." 

Coke  (Sir  Edward,  Lord  Chief  Justice  of  Eng- 
land, and  author  of  the  celebrated  work,  "  Coke  upon 
Littleton  "),  1552- 1633.  "  ^%  kingdom  come,  thy 
will  he  done." 

CoLLiNGBORN  (William),  "Lord  Jesus!  Yet 
more  trouble  f  "  These  words  he  is  reported  to  have 
spoken  after  the  executioner  had  opened  his  body  to 
extract  his  heart. 

William  Collingborn  was  condemned  for  making 
this  rhyme  on  King  Richard  IIL, 

The  cat,  the   rat,  and  Lovel,  our  dog, 
Rule  all  England,  under  the  hog. 

Collingborn  was  hanged  and  cut  down  alive,  his 
bowels  ripped  out  and  cast  into  the  fire;  when  the 
executioner  put  his  hand  into  the  bulk  of  his  body, 
to  pull  out  his  heart,  he  said,  "  Lord  Jesus !     Yet 

65 


more  trouble?  "  and  so  died,  to  the  great  sorrow  of 
many  people. — Fab.  Chron.,  p.  519. 

Collins  (Anthony,  essayist  and  deist),  1676- 
1729.  "  I  have  always  endeavored,  to  the  best  of  my 
ability,  to  serve  God,  my  king  and  my  country.  I 
go  to  the  place  God  has  designed  for  those  who  love 
him."  Some  say  his  last  words  were,  "  The  Catholic 
faith  is,  to  love  God  and  to  love  man.  This  is  the 
best  faith,  and  to  its  entertainment  I  exhort  you  all." 

Columbus  (Christopher,  discovered  America 
October  12th,  1492),  1435-1506.  "In  manus  tnos, 
Domine,  commendo  spiritum  meum." 

Columbus  died  at  Valladolid,  a  disappointed, 
broken-hearted  old  man ;  little  comprehending  what 
he  had  done  for  mankind,  and  still  less  the  glory  and 
homage  that  through  all  future  generations  awaited 
his  name. — Ticknor. 

Confucius  (His  name  was  Kong,  but  his  dis- 
ciples called  him  Kong-Fu-tse,  which  is  "  Kong  the 
Master,"  and  this  the  Jesuit  missionaries  Latinized 
into  Confucius),  b.  c,  551-479.  /'/  have  taught 
men  how  to  live." 

Early  one  morning,  it  is  said,  he  rose,  and  with  his 
hands  behind  his  back  dragging  his  staff,  moved 
about  by  his  door,  crooning,  "  The  great  mountain 
must  crumble,  the  strong  heart  must  break,  and  the 
wise  man  wither  away  like  a  plant.  In  all  the  prov- 
inces of  the  empire  there  arises  not  one  intelligent 

66 


BfsttnQuisbeb  /IDen  an^  Motncu 

monarcli  \vho  will  make  me  his  master.  My  time 
has  come  to  die."  He  went  to  his  couch  and  never 
left  it  again.  .  .  .  His  mind  was  magnanimous 
and  his  heart  was  serene.  He  was  a  lonely  old  man 
— parents,  wife,  child,  friends,  all  gf)ne — but  this 
made  the  fatal  message  so  much  the  more  wel- 
come. Without  any  expectation  of  a  future  life, 
uttering  no  prayer,  betraying  no  fear,  he  approached 
the  dark  valley  with  the  strength  and  peace  of  a 
well-ordered  will  resigned  to  Heaven,  beyond  a 
doubt  treasuring  in  his  heart  the  assurance  of  hav- 
ing served  his  fellow-men  in  the  highest  spirit  he 
knew,  and  with  the  purest  light  he  had. 

For  twenty-five  centuries  he  has  been  as  unreason- 
ably venerated  as  he  was  unjustly  neglected  in  his 
life.  His  name  is  on  every  lip  throughout  China, 
his  person  in  every  imagination.  The  thousands  of 
his  descendants  are  a  titled  and  privileged  class  by 
themselves.  The  diffusion  and  intensity  of  the  popu- 
lar admiration  and  honor  for  him  are  wonderful. 
Countless  temples  are  reared  to  him,  millions  of 
tablets  inscribed  to  him.  His  authority  is  supreme. 
He  is  worshiped  by  the  pupils  of  the  schools,  the 
magistrates,  the  emperor  himself  in  full  pomp. 
Would  that  a  small  share  of  this  superfluity  had 
solaced  some  of  the  lonesome  hours  he  knew  while 
yet  alive ! — Alger's  "  Genius  of  Solitude." 

CoNRADiN  (Konradin  of  Swabia,  the  last  descend- 
ant of  the  imperial  House  of  Hohenstaufen,  son  of 

67 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

KoTiTad  IV.),   1252-1268.     '"0  my  mother!  how 
deep  zvill  he  -thy  sorrow  al  the  Heivs  of  this  day!  " 

A  few  minutes  before  his  execution,  Conradin,  on 
the  scaffold,  look  off  his  -glove  and  threw  it  into  the 
midst  of  the  crowd  as  a  gage  of  vengeance,  request- 
ing that  it  might  be  carried  to  his  heir,  Peter  of  Ar- 
ragon.  This  duty  was  undertaken  by  the  Chevalier 
de  Walburg,  who,  after  many  hairbreadth  escapes, 
succeeded   in  fulfilling  his  prince's  last  command. 

Chambers'  Encyclopccdia. 

CooKMAN  (Alfred,  American  clergyman  con- 
nected with  the  Presbyterian  church),  1 828-1 871. 
""  /  am  sweeping  through  the  gates,  washed  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb." 

CoRDAY  d'Armans,  DE  (Marie  Anne  Charlotte, 
usually  called  Charlotte  Corday,  a  young  woman  of 
noble  family  and  of  a  courageous  and  lofty  spirit. 
She  stabbed  Marat,  one  of  the  most  bloodthirsty  of 
all  the  vile  monsters  of  the  French  Revolution), 
1 768- 1 793.  "  This  is  the  toilette  of  death,  arranged 
by  somewhat  rude  hands,  but  it  leads  to  immortal- 
ity." She  must  have  spoken  later,  perhaps  many 
times,  but  the  words  recorded  are  the  last  of  which 
we  can  be  certain. 

One  description  of  Charlotte  Corday  says  that  she 
was  of  medium  height,  with  an  oval  face,  fine  fea- 
tures, blue  eyes,  a  good  nose,  beautiful  mouth,  chest- 

68 


Dlstinguisbeb  /n>en  m\t>  Momen 

nut  hair,  lovely  hands  and  arms;  another  says  that 
she  was  a  virago,  awkward,  dirty,  insolent,  rubi- 
cund, and  fat;  and  that  if  she  had  been  pretty  she 
would  have  been  more  anxious  to  live. 

La  Demagogic. 
We  read  in  the  Moniteur,  "  Charlotte  Corday  has 
been  executed,  the  17th,  about  seven  p.  m.,  in  the 
Place  de  la  Revolution,  in  the  (red)  garb  of  assas- 
sins, and  her  goods  confiscated  to  the  Republic." 
The  executioner.  .  .  .  struck  the  bleeding  head, 
when  he  showed  it,  according  to  custom,  to  those 
present;  the  cheeks  were  still  crimson,  and  it  was 
said  that  they  were  so  in  consequence  of  the  insult 
thus  offered  to  them.^ — La  Demagogic. 

CosiN   or   Cozen    (Dr.   John,   English   divine), 
1 594- 1 672.     "Lord!" 


Mt  is  a  tradition  in  Corsica  that  when  St.  Pantaleon  was 
beheaded,  the  caput  niortuum,  as  it  might  have  been  thought, 
rose  from  the  block  and  sang. 

A  reliable  gentleman  who  witnessed  an  execution,  wrote 
as  follows :  "  It  appears  to  be  the  best  of  all  modes  of 
inflicting  the  punishment  of  death,  combining  the  greatest 
impression  on  the  spectator  with  the  least  possible  suffering 
to  the  victim.  It  is  so  rapid  that  I  should  doubt  whether 
there  was  any  suffering;  but  from  the  expression  of  the 
countenance,  when  the  executioner  held  up  the  head,  I  am 
inclined  to  believe  that  sense  and  consciousness  may  remain 
for  a  few  seconds  after  the  head  is  off.  The  eyes  seemed 
to  retain  speculation  for  a  moment  or  two,  and  there  was 
a  look  in  the  ghastly  stare  with  which  they  stared  upon  the 
crowd,  which  implied  that  the  head  was  aware  of  its  ignomini- 
pus  situation." 

69  - 


Xast  1imor&s  of 

He  raised  his  hand  and  cried,  "  Lord !  "  After 
this  he  expired  without  pain.  It  is  thought  that  he 
wished  to  repeat  his  frequent  prayer,  "  Lord  Jesus, 
come  quickly !  "  He  desired  above  all  things  to  die 
suddenly  and  without   distress  of  body  or  mind. 

CowPER  (William,  distinguished  English  poet), 
1731-1800.  '"  What  can  it  signify  f"  Said  to  Miss 
Perowne,  one  of  his  attendants,  who  offered  him 
some  refreshments.  He  died  in  the  gloom  of  a  deep 
melancholy  from  which  he  had  suffered  during  a 
considerable  portion  of  his  life. 

Crates  (of  Thebes,  Cynic  philosopher),  about 
B.  c.  330 — he  was  living  in  b.  c.  307.  "  Ah!  poor 
humpback!  thy  many  long  years  are  at  last  conveying 
thee  to  the  tomb:  thou  shalt  soon  visit  the  palace  of 
Pluto/' 

Crates  was  deformed  and  ugly  in  shape  and  fea- 
tures, and  to  render  himself  still  more  hideous  he 
sewed  sheepskins  on  his  coat,  so  that  it  was  difficult 
at  first  sight  to  say  to  what  species  of  animal  he  be- 
longed. He  was,  however,  noted  for  self-control, 
abstinence,  and  simplicity  of  life. 

Cranmer  (Thomas,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury), 
1489- 1 556.     "  This  unworthy  right  hand." 

When  the  fagots  were  lighted  he  stretched  out  his 
right  hand,  which  had  signed  the  recantation,  into 
the  flames,  and  there  held  it  firmly  till  it  was  a  mere 

70 


cinder.    This  took  place  before  his  body  was  reached 
by  the  fire.  ^ 

Cromwell  (OHver),  1599- 1658.  '' My  desire  is 
to  make  wJiat  haste  I  may  to  be  gone."  Cromwell 
died  of  grief  at  the  loss  of  his  favorite  daughter. 

Some  say  his  last  words  were,  "  Then  1  am  safe," 
in  response  to  his  chaplain  who  assured  him  that, 
"  once  in  grace  is  always  in  grace." 


*  Upon  the  14th  of  February,  in  the  30th  year  of  Queen 
Mary,  was  Cranmer,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  brought  to 
the  stake,  where  he  first  thrust  his  right  hand  into  the  fire 
(with  which  he  had  before  subscribed  a  recantation)  till  it 
first,  and  then  his  whole  body  was  consumed ;  but  what  was 
most  remarkable,  his  heart  remained  whole,  and  was  not 
once  touched  by  the  fire. — Baker's  Citron,  p.  463. 

We  have  the  same  story  about  the  heart  of  Zuinglius.  Three 
days  after  it  had  been  cast  into  the  fire  to  be  burned  to 
ashes  some  friends  found  it  untouched  by  the  flames. — Melch. 
Adam.  Vit.  p.  2)7. 

"  Mr.  J.  C.  Jeaffreson  in  his  book  '  The  Real  Shelley ' 
writes :  '  All  the  world  knows  how  Shelley's  torn  and  dis- 
figured corpse  was  reduced  to  ashes  and  a  few  fragments  of 
bone  (with  the  exception  of  the  heart  that  would  not  be 
burnt)  on  the  pyre;'  and  probably,  since  Trelawny,  shortly 
after  the  poet's  death,  reported  that  '  his  heart  remained 
entire,'  his  statement  has  been  unhesitatingly  accepted.  I 
have,  however,  reason  for  thinking  that  the  story  does  not 
rest  on  trustworthy  evidence. 

"  When  a  body  is  burnt  the  part  which  longest  resists  the 
action  of  the  fire  after  the  base  of  the  skull  and  one  or 
two  of  the  most  solid  portions  of  bone,  is  the  liver.  The 
heart,  being  hollow  and  smaller,  is  easily  destroyed :  but  the 
liver,  a  moist  and  solid  mass,  repels  intense  heat,  and  ulti- 
mately deposits  an  ash  of  pure  carbon,  which  no  continued 
burning  or  increase  of  temperature  can  further  change.     In 

71 


Xast  Mort)S  ot 

Crome  (John,  English  landscape  painter),  1766- 
182 1.  "  O  Hohbima,  Hohbima,  hozv  I  do  love  thee!  " 

Crosby  (Howard,  Presbyterian  clergyman,  Chan- 
cellor of  the  University  of  New  York,  and  a  man  of 
great  classical  learning),  1826-1891.  "My  heart  is 
resting  szveetly  zvith  Jesus,  and  my  hand  is  in  his." 

the  cemetery  of  Milan  where  I  have  seen  human  cremations 
completely  carried  out  in  seventy  minutes  by  Signer  Venini's 
reverberatory  furnace,  the  best  method  known,  I  also  learned 
that  the  liver,  perhaps  from  its  containing  this  element  of 
carbon,  can  endure  for  a  considerable  time  even  that  con- 
centrated whirlwind  of  fire,  and  remain  almost  intact  after  the 
heart  has  totally  disappeared.  Moreover,  in  Shelley's  case  the 
liver  would  have  been  saturated  with  sea-water,  and  thereby 
rendered  still  more  incombustible.  It  is  extremely  improbable 
that  Byron,  Leigh  Hunt,  or  Trelawny  knew  enough  anatomy 
to  identify  accurately  the  charred  substance  they  took  to  be 
the  heart,  and  it  is  more  likely,  owing  to  the  thin  edge  of 
the  liver  being  consumed,  and  its  size  consequently  being 
much  reduced,  that  they  mistook  the  shrunken  remains  of 
the  one  organ  for  the  whole  of  the  other. 

"  From  observing  the  Milanese  cremations  alluded  to  I  think 
it  barely  possible  that  the  human  heart  is  ever  capable  of 
withstanding  fire  for  more  than  a  brief  period ;  but  since 
Mr.  J.  A.  Symonds  asserts,  to  my  surprise,  that  Shelley's 
heart  was  given  by  Leigh  Hunt  to  Mrs.  Shelley,  and  is  now 
at  Boscombe,  the  seat  of  the  present  baronet,  it  would  be 
easy  for  some  competent  anatomist  to  determine  the  question 
I  have  raised. 

"  In  any  case,  the  hero-worshipping  and  sentimental  tourists 
who  go  in  crowds  to  that  lovely  spot  beneath  the  pyramid  of 
Caius  Cestius  to  mourn  over  Shelley's  untimely  fate  have 
been  strangely  deceived  for  more  than  sixty  years  in  believ- 
ing that  beneath  the  marble  graven  with  the  touching  words 
OjA  (rl  ir*aA^.  '  ^'^^  Cordium '  lies  the  flame  proof  heart  of  their  favorite 
i  poet." — Bic  knell. 

72 


Dtstinouisbet)  /IDen  ant)  Momen 

CuLLEN  (William,  distinguished  physician), 
1712-1790.  "I  zvish  I  had  the  pozver  of  zi^riting, 
for  tJien  I  zvould  describe  to  you  liozv  pleasant  a  thing 
it  is  to  die." 

CuMMiNGS  (George  David,  first  Bishop  of  the 
Reformed  Episcopal  Church),  1822-1876.  "Jesus! 
precious  Saviour! " 

His  last  message  to  his  church  was :  "  Tell  them 
to  go  forivard  and  do  a  good  zvork." 

CusHMAN  (Charlotte  Saunders,  distinguished 
American  actress),  18 16- 1876.  Her  last  words  are 
not  recorded,  but  on  the  night  before  her  death  she 
asked  to  have  Lowell's  poem  "  Columbus  "  read  to 
her,  and  from  time  to  time  she  prompted  the  reader 
when  a  word  or  line  was  missing. 

CuviER  (George  Chretien  Leopold  Frederic 
Dagobert,  Baron,  one  of  the  greatest  naturalists  of 
modern  times,  and  founder  of  the  science  of  com- 
parative anatomy),  1769- 1832.  "It  is  delightful 
to  see  those  zvhom  I  love  still  able  to  szvallozv,"  to 
-his  daughter-in-law,  to  whom  he  handed  a  glass  of 
lemonade  he  found  himself  unable  to  swallow. 

Cyprian  (Thascius  Csecilius  Cyprianus,  "  Saint," 
Bishop  of  Carthage,  Latin  Father  and  martyr.  He 
is  the  author  of  numerous  epistles  and  tracts),  200 
258.  "  Thanks  he  to  God,"  to  the  heathen  judge,  on 
hearing  from  him  the  sentence  of  death, 

72> 


Xast  Mor&6  ot 

Cyrus  (Cyrus  the  Elder,  surnamed  "  the  Great," 
founder  of  the  Persian  empire,  and  the  greatest  of 
Persian  monarchs.  Hfe  appears  in  Sacred  History  as 
the  conqueror  of  Belshazzar.  Herodotus  represents 
him  as  killed  in  battle,  but  Xenophon  records  that  he 
died  a  natural  death), — b.  c.  559. 

Xenophon  (Cyropaedia  B.  viii.  7)  gives  the  speech 
which  Cyrus  is  said  to  have  made  upon  his  death- 
bed.   These  are  the  closing  sentences  in  that  speech : 

"  When  I  am  dead,  my  children,  do  not  enshrine 
my  body  in  gold,  or  in  silver,  or  in  any  other  sub- 
stance; but  restore  it  to  the  earth  as  soon  as  possible; 
for  what  can  be  more  desirable  than  to  be  mixed  with 
the  earth,  which  gives  birth  and  nourishment  to 
everything  excellent  and  good?  I  have  always 
hitherto  borne  an  affection  to  men,  and  I  feel  that 
I  should  nozv  gladly  be  incorporated  zvith  that  which 
is  beneficial  to  men.  And  now  my  soul  seems  to  be 
leaving  me,  in  the  same  manner  as,  it  is  probable, 
it  begins  to  leave  others.  If,  therefore,  any  one  of 
you  is  desirous  of  touching  my  right  hand,  or  is  zvill- 
ing  to  see  my  face,  while  it  has  life,  let  him  come  near 
me;  but  zuhen  I  shall  have  covered  it,  I  request  of 
you,  my  sons,  let  no  man,  not  even  yourselves,  look 
upon  my  body.  Summon,  however,  all  the  Persians, 
and  the  allies,  to  my  tomb,  to  rejoice  for  me,  as  I 
shall  then  be  safe  from  suffering  any  evil,  whether  I 
be  with  the  divine  nature,  or  be  reduced  to  nothing. 
As  many  as  come,  do  not  dismiss  until  you  have  be- 
stowed on  them  whatever  favors  are  customary  at 

74 


2)isttnguisl)e&  /»en  an&  XRHomen 

the  funeral  of  a  rich  man.  And  remember  this,  as  my 
last  admonition:  by  doing  good  to  your  friends,  you 
will  be  able  also  to  punish  your  enemies.  Farewell, 
dear  children,  and  say  farewell  to  your  mother  as 
from  me;  farezvcll,  all  my  friends,  present  and 
absent." 

Having  said  this,  and  taken  every  one  by  the 
right  hand,  he  covered  his  face  and  expired. 

Damiens  (Robert  Francois,  known  for  his  at- 
tempt to  assassinate  Louis  XV.,  and  called,  because 
of  his  crimes,  Robert  le  Diable),  17 15- 1757.  ''Oh 
death,  why  art  thou  so  long  in  coming  f  " 

The  punishment  inflicted  upon  Damiens  for  his 
attack  upon  the  king  was  horrible.  The  hand  by 
which  he  attempted  the  murder  was  burned  at  a  slow 
fire ;  the  fleshy  parts  of  his  body  were  then  torn  off 
by  pincers ;  and  finally,  he  was  dragged  about  for  an 
hour  by  four  strong  horses,  while  into  his  numerous 
wounds  were  poured  molten  lead,  resin,  oil  and  boil- 
ing wax.  Towards  night,  the  poor  wretch  expired, 
liaving  by  an  effort  of  will  almost  superhuman,  kept 
his  resolution  of  not  confessing  who  were  his  accom- 
plices if,  indeed,  he  had  any.  His  remains  were  im- 
mediately burned,  his  house  was  destroyed,  his 
father,  wife  and  daughter  were  banished  from 
France  forever,  and  his  brothers  and  sisters  com- 
pelled to  change  their  names. — Chambers. 

From  his  arrest  to  his  death — nearly  three  months 
— he  was  in  torture;  bound  in  chains,  and  frequently 

75 


Xast  Morbs  of 

taken  to  the  torture  room,  and  there  treated  as  the 
North  American  savages  were  wont  to  treat  their 
victims,  and  with  the  aid  of  more  skillful  appliances 
for  inflicting  pain  than  Indians  have.  By  a  circui- 
tous journey  he  was  taken  to  the  place  of  execution, 
guarded  by  a  small  army,  all  Paris  ready  to  see  the 
show.  For  half  an  hour  he  was  kept  waiting  in 
view  of  the  preparations  for  his  murder,  and  in  the 
presence  of  an  immense  assemblage — many  of  them 
delicate  ladies  of  high  rank — he  was  bound  naked 
upon  a  table  placed  on  a  high  platform.  The  ladies 
and  gentry  looked  on  with  joy;  those  who  had  suc- 
ceeded, through  influence  in  gaining  good  positions 
for  seeing  the  spectacle,  saw  his  right  hand  (the  one 
with  which  he  had  struck  the  King)  burned  off;  the 
pieces  of  flesh  torn  from  him  by  red-hot  pincers,  and 
melted  lead  and  resin  poured  into  his  wounds;  a 
powerful  horse  was  attached  to  each  of  his  four  limbs, 
but  it  was  impossible  to  tear  him  to  pieces,  and  a 
request  was  sent  to  cut  the  muscles;  but  not  until 
the  request  was  repeated  was  permission  given,  and 
he  did  not  expire  until  both  legs  and  one  arm  had 
been  torn  from  the  body.  His  execution  lasted  over 
an  hour.  His  body  was  burned,  his  house  purchased 
and  destroyed;  and  the  leaders  in  this  murder  were 
munificently  rewarded.  To  the  two  judges  who 
pronounced  sentence  were  given,  life  pensions  oi  six 
thousand  francs  a  year;  the  lawyers,  the  clerks,  the 
torturers  and  the  executioners  also  had  their  reward. 
.     .     .     Damiens  was  a  monomaniac  of  the  style 

76, 


S)istinoui3be^  /iDen  anb  Momen 

of  Guiteau,  driven  insane,  or  excited  to  this  special 
development  of  insanity  by  the  political  excitement 
of  the  time.  It  is  probable,  also,  that  he  was  a  reli- 
gious monomaniac,  for  he  was  a  pious  fanatic — a 
Jacobinist — and  in  his  pocket  were  found  a  copy  of 
the  New  Testament,  and  thirty  gold  pieces.  He  had 
no  accomplices,  no  plan,  no  motives  that  could  appeal 
to  a  sane  mind,  aiiy  more  than  had  Guiteau. 

Dr.  George  M.  Beard. 

Danton  (George  Jacques),  1759- 1794.  "Yon 
will  show  my  head  to  the  people — it  will  be  worth 
the  display! "     Said  to  the  executioner. 

When  the  judges  asked  him  his  name,  residence, 
etc.,  he  answered,  "  My  name  is  Danton ;  my  dwell- 
ing will  soon  be  in  annihilation;  but  my  name  will 
live  in  the  Pantheon  of  history !  " — Lamartine. 

Darwin  (Charles,  one  of  the  most  eminent  of 
English  naturalists),  1809-1882.  *'  I  am  not  in  the 
least  afraid  to  die.'* 

Darwin  (Erasmus,  English  poet  and  physician. 
Author  of  "The  Botanic  Garden"),  1731-1802. 
''  There  is  no  time  to  be  lost." 

It  is  reported  at  Lichfield,  that,  perceiving  himself 
growing  rapidly  worse,  he  said  to  Mrs.  Darwin, 
"  My  dear,  you  must  bleed  me  instantly."  "  Alas !  " 
said  she,  "  I  dare  not,  lest — "  "  Emma,  will  you  ? 
There  is  no  time  to  be  lost."   "  Yes,  my  dear  father, 

77 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

if  you  will  direct  me."    At  this  moment  he  sank  into 
his  chair  and  expired. — The  Book  of  Death. 

De  Lagny  (Thomas  Fantet,  French  mathema- 
tician), 1 660- 1 734.  "  144,"  in  response  to  a  friend 
who  asked  for  the  square  of  12. 

Delagado  (Gen.  E.,  the  Honduras  Revolution- 
ist), — 1886.     "  We  are  ready — soldiers,  Hre!  " 

He  was  shot  with  three  other  revolutionists 
(Lieut.-Col.  Indalecio  Garcia,  Commander  Meguel 
Cortez,  and  Lieut.  Gabriel  Loyant),  at  Comayagna, 
October  18,  1886. 

It  was  the  desire  of  President  Bogran  to  spare 
Gen.  Delgado's  life  if  possible,  and  any  pretext  would 
have  been  readily  seized  upon  to  give  him  an  oppor- 
tunity of  saving  himself  and  at  the  same  time  vindi- 
cate the  tribunal  which  had  condemned  him.  The 
President  sent  a  messenger  to  him  to  say  that  if  he 
would  promise  to  never  again  take  up  arms  against 
Honduras  he  should  receive  a  pardon.  The  soldier 
was  too  brave  to  accept  even  his  life  on  these  terms, 
and  he  sent  back  word  that  he  would  see  Honduras  in 
an  even  more  tropical  climate  than  she  now  enjoys 
before  he  would  accept  his  pardon  on  such  a  pledge. 
When  his  answer  was  received  there  was  nothing 
left  but  to  prepare  for  the  execution. 

On  the  morning  of  their  execution  the  men  were 
taken  to  a  point  near  the  Church  of  Comayagua; 
four  coffins  were  placed  near  the  wall  and  the  four 

78 


S)i3tinouisbc&  /IDen  anb  Momen 

condemned  men  were  led  to  them.  They  accepted 
their  positions  as  easily  and  gracefully  as  if  they 
were  in  boxes  at  the  opera,  and  not  a  face  was 
blanched,  not  a  nerve  quivered.  Gen.  Delgado  asked 
and  received  permission  to  order  the  guard  to  fire, 
which  he  did,  first  requesting  them  not  to  shoot  him 
in  the  face,  but  in  the  breast.  There  was  no  rattle,  no 
scattering  reports,  but  one  sharp,  stunning  report. 
The  four  men  for  half  a  second  remained  in  an  up- 
right position,  as  if  still  unhurt,  and  then  rolled  over, 
limp  and  bloody,  dead.  The  soldiers  had  complied 
with  Gen.  Delgado's  request,  for  three  balls  had 
penetrated  his  breast. 

Demorax  (Greek  philosopher),  second  century, 
B.  c.      "  Yon  may  go  home,  the  show  is  over." 

Lucian. 

De  Quincey  (Thomas,  "  The  English  opium- 
eater  "),  1 785- 1859.  "  Sister!  sister!  sister!  "  Dur- 
ing his  last  illness  he  was  subject  to  fits  of  delirium, 
and  in  one  of  these  he  died.  His  last  words  indi- 
cate that  he  was  living  over  in  his  mind  the  scenes  of 
early  days. 

Mr.  Mackay  gives  this  account  of  the  condition  of 
De  Quincey's  grave  as  it  was  in  1889: 

"  The  mural  tablet  is  not  weather-stained,  and  his 
grave  is  not  utterly  neglected,  but  well  cared  for  by 
some  loving  hand  or  other.  When  in  Edinburgh  I 
almost  always  visit  his  grave,  and  only  on  Thursday, 

79 


Xast  Mor&s  of 

May  23  last,  I  was  there,  and  as  the  birds  sang-  about 
in  the  grounds,  the  trees  rustled,  and  the  sun  shone, 
I  could  hardly  think  of  him  sleeping  in  a  more  lovely 
spot,  save  it  might  be  along  with  Wordsworth  and 
Hartley  Coleridge  in  the  churchyard  at  Grasmere.'" 

A  bright,  ready  and  melodious  talker,  but  in  the 
end  inconclusive  and  long-winded.  One  of  the 
smallest  man-figures  I  ever  saw ;  shaped  like  a  pair 
of  tongs,  and  hardly  above  five  feet  in  all.  When 
he  sat,  you  would  have  taken  him,  by  candle-light, 
for  the  beautifulest  little  child,  blue-eyed,  sparkling 
face,  had  there  not  been  a  something  too  which  said, 
"  Eccovi — this  child  has  been  in  hell.'' — Carlylc. 

Desmoulins  (Benedict  Camille,  prominent 
French  democrat  and  pamphleteer,  called  the  "  At- 
torney-general of  the  Lamp-post,"  because  of  his 
part  in  the  death  of  those  who  were  hung  by  the 
mob  in  the  street),  1762- 1794.  "Behold,  then,  the 
recompense  reserved  for  the  first  apostle  of  liberty." 
Said  while  standing  before  the  guillotine,  and  look- 
ing at  the  axe.  When  at  the  bar  of  Tinville  he  was 
asked  his  age,  name,  and  residence,  he  said :  "  My 
age  is  that  of  the  sansculotte  Jesu — I  am  thirty-three; 
an  age  fatal  to  revolutionists." 

De  Soto  (Hernando,  Spanish  explorer,  discov- 
erer of  the  Mississippi  River),  about  1496- 1542. 
"Luis  de  Moscoso" — the  name  of  his  successor.  He 
must  have  spoken  later,   for  he  lived  twenty-four 

80 


H)tstinouisbc^  /iDen  an&  Momen 

hours  after  appointing  his  successor,  but  what  he 
said  the  compiler  has  been  unable  to  discover. 

Believing  his  death  near  at  hand,  on  the  twentieth 
of  May  he  held  a  last  interview  with  his  followers 
and,  yielding  to  the  wishes  of  his  companions,  who 
obeyed  him  to  the  end,  he  named  a  successor.  On 
the  next  day  he  died.  Thus  perished  Ferdinand  de 
Soto,  the  governor  of  Cuba,  the  successful  associate 
of  Pizarro.  His  miserable  end  was  the  more  ob- 
served from  the  greatness  of  his  former  prosperity. 
His  soldiers  pronounced  his  eulogy  by  grieving  for 
their  loss ;  the  priests  chanted  over  his  body  the  first 
requiems  that  were  ever  heard  on  the  w^aters  of  the 
Mississippi.  To  conceal  his  death,  his  body  was 
wrapped  in  a  mantle,  and  in  the  stillness  of  midnight 
was  sunk  in  the  middle  of  the  stream. — Bancroft. 

De  Witt  (Cornelius,  Dutch  naval  officer  and 
statesman),  1625-1672. 

One  Tichelaer,  a  barber,  a  man  noted  for  infamy, 
accused  Cornelius  de  Witt  of  endeavoring  by  bribes 
to  engage  him  in  the  design  of  poisoning  the  Prince 
of  Orange.  The  accusation,  though  attended  with 
the  most  improbable,  and  even  absurd  circumstances, 
was  greedily  received  by  the  credulous  multitude; 
and  Cornelius  was  cited  before  a  court  of  judicature. 
The  judges,  either  blinded  by  the  same  prejudices,  or 
not  daring  to  oppose  the  popular  torrent,  condemned 
him  to  suffer  the  question.  This  man,  who  had 
bravely  served  his  country  in  war,  and  who  had 

81 


Xast  MorOs  ot 

been  invested  with  the  highest  dignities,  was  deliv- 
ered into  the  hands  of  the  executioner,  and  torn  in 
pieces  by  the  most  inhuman  torments.  Amidst  the 
severe  agonies  which  he  endured,  he  still  made  pro- 
testations of  his  innocence,  and  frequently  repeated 
an  ode  of  Horace,  which  contained  sentiments  suited 
to  his  deplorable  condition :  "  Jiistum  et  tenacem 
propositi  virum,"  etc' 

The  judges,  however,  condemned  him  to  lose  his 
offices,  and  to  be  banished  the  commonwealth.  The 
pensionary,  who  had  not  been  terrified  from  perform- 
ing the  part  of  a  kind  brother  and  faithful  friend  dur- 
ing this  prosecution,  resolved  not  to  desert  him  on 


^  The  man  whose  mind,  on  virtue  bent, 
Pursues  some  greatly  good  intent, 

With  undiverted  aim, 
Serene  beholds  the  angry  crowd ; 
Nor  can  their  clamors,   fierce  and   loud, 

His  stubborn  honor  tame. 

Not  the  proud  tyrant's  fiercest  threat. 
Nor  storms,  that  from  their  dark  retreat 

The  lawless  surges  wake; 
Not  Jove's  dread  bolt,  that  shakes  the  pole. 
The  firmer  purpose  of  his  soul 

With  all  its  power  can  shake. 

Should  nature's  frame  in  ruins  fall, 
And  chaos  o'er  the  sinking  ball 

Resume  the  primeval  sway, 
His  courage  chance  and  fate  defies, 
Nor  feels  the  wreck  o£  earth  and  skies 

Obstruct  its  destined  way. 

Translated  by  Blacklocke. 

82 


2>istinguisbe&  /IDen  an&  Momen 

account  of  the  unmerited  infamy  which  was  en- 
deavored to  be  thrown  upon  him.  He  came  to  his 
brother's  prison,  determined  to  accompany  him  to 
the  place  of  exile.  The  signal  was  given  to  the  popu- 
lace. They  rose  in  arms ;  they  broke  open  the  doors 
of  the  prison ;  they  pulled  out  the  two  brothers,  and 
a  thousand  hands  vied  who  sliould  first  be  imbrued 
in  their  blood.  Even  their  death  did  not  satiate  the 
brutal  rage  of  the  multitude.  They  exercised  on  the 
dead  bodies  of  those  virtuous  citizens  indignities  too 
shocking  to  be  recited ;  and  till  tired  with  their  own 
fury,  they  permitted  not  the  friends  of  the  deceased 
to  approach  or  to  bestow  on  them  the  honors  of  a 
funeral,  silent  and  unattended. 

Hume's  History  of  England, 

Dickens  (Charles),  1812-1870.  "On  the 
ground."  He  was  losing  his  balance  and  feared  that 
he  would  fall  to  the  floor. 

Diderot  (Denis,  French  philosopher,  atheist  and 
chief  among  the  Encyclopedists),  1712-1784.  On 
the  evening  of  the  30th  of  July,  1784,  he  sat  down 
to  the  table,  and  at  the  end  of  the  meal  took  an 
apricot.  His  wife,  with  kindly  solicitude,  remon- 
strated. "  Mais  quel  diable  de  mal  veux-te  que  cela 
me  fosse f  "  he  said,  and  ate  the  apricot.  Then  he 
rested  his  elbow  on  the  table,  trifling  with  some 
sweetmeats.  His  wife  asked  him  a  question;  on 
receiving  no  answer,  she  looked  up  and  saw  that  he 

83 


Xast  XRHor^s    ot 

was  dead.  He  had  died  as  the  Greek  poet  says  that 
men  died  in  the  golden  age,  "  They  passed  away  as 
if  mastered  by  sleep," — John  Morley. 

Dillon  (Wentvvorth,  Earl  of  Roscommon,  Eng- 
lish poet  and  translator),  about  1633- 1684.  His 
last  words  were  from  his  own  translation  of  the 
*'DiesIrae:" 

""  My  God,  my  Father,  and  my  Friend, 
Do  not  forsake  me  in  the  end." 

Diogenes  (the  Cynic,  son  of  Isecius),  b.  c.  413- 
323.  Just  what  were  his  last  words  is  uncertain,  but 
a  short  time  before  he  died,  he  was  asked  where  he 
would  be  buried  when  dead.  "  In  an  open  field," 
said  he.  "  How !  "  enquired  one,  "  are  you  not 
afraid  of  becoming  food  for  birds  of  prey  and  wild 
beasts?"  "Then  I  must  have  my  stick  with  me," 
said  Diogenes.  "  But,"  continued  the  other,  "  you 
will  be  devoid  of  sensation."  "  If  that  is  the  case," 
said  he,  "  it  is  no  matter  whether  they  eat  me  or  not, 
seeing  I  shall  be  insensible  to  it." 

His  death  was  occasioned  by  indigestion  from  eat- 
ing a  neat's  foot  raw;  but  some  say  he  put  an  end 
to  his  life  by  holding  his  breath.  After  his  death 
there  was  a  great  dispute  among  his  friends  and 
followers  as  to  who  should  be  accorded  the  privilege 
of  burying  him,  and  when  they  were  about  to  come  to 
violence,  the  magistrates  interfered  and  quieted  the 
disturbance. 

84 


BistlnoufsbeC)  /IDen  anb  Momen 

DoDD  (Rev,  Dr.  William,  author  of  numerous 
religious  and  other  works.  He  was  the  founder  of 
"  The  Magdalen "  for  reclaiming  young  women 
fallen  from  virtue,  the  "  Poor  Debtors'  Society  "  and 
the  "  Humane  Society."  He  was  executed  for 
forgery),  1729- 1777.  Just  before  his  death  he  said 
to  the  executioner,  "  Come  to  me,"  and  when  the 
executioner  obeyed,  the  doctor  whispered  to  him. 
What  he  said  is  not. known,  but  it  was  observed  that 
the  man  had  no  sooner  driven  away  than  he  took  the 
place  where  the  cart  had  been,  under  the  gibbet, 
and  held  the  doctor's  legs,  as  if  to  steady  the  body, 
and  the  unhappy  man  appeared  to  die  without  pain. 

Dominic  ("  Saint,"  founder  of  the  order  of  Do- 
minicans and  of  the  order  of  Preaching  Friars.  He 
was  one  of  the  instigators  of  the  cruel  and  inhuman 
crusade  against  the  Albigenses  about  12 12.  Many 
strange  stories  are  told  of  him,  and  among  these  that 
he  offered  himself  for  sale  to  the  highest  bidder,  in 
order  to  raise  money  for  charitable  purposes),  11 70- 
122 1.  "  Under  the  feet  of  my  friars"  when  asked 
where  he  would  like  to  be  buried. 

Donne  (John,  D.D.,  English  poet  and  theolo- 
gian), 1573-1631.  "I  zvere  miserable,  if  I  might 
not  die."  Some  say  his  last  words  were :  "  I  repent 
of  my  life  except  that  part  of  it  which  I  spent  in  com- 
munion with  God,  and  in  doing  good."  Others  say 
his  last  words  were,  "  Thy  will  be  done." 

85 


Xast  morbs  ot 

Dr.  Donne  was  formerly  Dean  of  St.  Paul's. 
Among  other  preparations  for  his  death,  he  ordered 
an  urn  to  be  cut  in  wood,  on  which  was  to  be  placed 
a  board  of  the  exact  height  of  his  body.  He  then 
caused  himself  to  be  tied  up  in  a  winding-sheet. 
Thus  shrouded,  and  standing  with  his  eyes  shut,  and 
with  just  so  much  of  the  sheet  put  aside  as  might 
discover  his  death-like  face,  he  caused  his  portrait  to 
be  taken,  which,  when  finished,  was  placed  near  his 
bedside,  and  there  remained  to  the  hour  of  his  death. 
He  was  buried  in  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  where  a 
monument  was  erected  over  him,  composed  of  white 
marble,  and  carved  from  the  above-mentioned  pic- 
ture, by  order  of  his  dearest  friend  and  executor,  Dr. 
King,  Bishop  of  Chichester.  * 


'  Charles  V.,  of  Spain,  seems  to  have  entertained  the  same 
morbid  desire  for  a  personal  acquaintance  with  his  own  post- 
mortem appearance  and  condition.  In  Robertson's  History 
of  the  Reign  of  the  Emperor  Charles  V.  we  have  this  account 
of  the  monarch's  attendance  upon  his  own  funeral :  "  He 
resolved  to  celebrate  his  own  obsequies  before  his  death.  He 
ordered  his  tomb  to  be  erected  in  the  chapel  of  the  monastery. 
His  domestics  marched  thither  in  funeral  procession,  with 
black  tapers  in  their  hands.  He  himself  followed  in  his 
shroud.  He  was  laid  in  his  coffin  with  much  solemnity.  The 
service  for  the  dead  was  chanted,  and  Charles  joined  in  the 
prayers  which  were  offered  up  for  the  rest  of  his  soul, 
mingling  his  tears  with  those  which  his  attendants  shed,  as 
if  they  had  been  celebrating  a  real  funeral.  The  ceremony 
closed  with  sprinkling  holy  water  on  the  coffin  in  the  usual 
form,  and  all  the  assistants  retiring,  the  doors  of  the  chapel 
were  shut.  Then  Charles  rose  out  of  the  coffin,  and  with- 
drew to  his  apartment,  full  of  those  awful  sentiments  which 

86 


S)fstfnouisbc&  /IDen  an&  Momen 

DoRNEY  (Henry,  a  man  of  peculiarly  beautiful  life 
and  religious  experience.  His  "  Contemplations  and 
Letters,"  published  after  his  death,  had  a  large  cir- 
culation), 1613-1683.  "I  am  almost  dead;  lift  me 
up  a  little  higher,"  to  his  wife. 

Drew  (Samuel,  English  preacher  and  author. 
He  commenced  life  as  an  infidel  shoemaker,  but  after 
conversion  gave  himself  to  constant  study  of  the 
Bible  and  Christian  Theology.  He  wrote  the  once 
famous  book,  "  The  Immateriality  and  Immortality 
of  the  Soul"),  1765-1833.  "Thank  God,  to-mor- 
row I  shall  join  the  glorious  company  above."  Last 
recorded  words. 

Drummond  (Henry,  author  of  "  Natural  Law  in 
the  Spiritual  World,"  "  The  Ascent  of  Man  "  and  a 
large  number  of  published  lectures  and  addresses), 
1851-1897.  "  There's  nothing  to  heat  that,  Hugh. 
It  is  a  paraphrase  of  the  words  of  Paul:  '  I  know 
whom  I  have  believed,  and  am  persuaded  that  he  is 
able  to  keep  that  which  I  have  committed  unto  Him, 


such  a  singular  solemnity  was  calculated  to  inspire."  This 
story  is  somewhat  changed  in  Stirling's  "  Cloister  Life  of  the 
Emperor  Charles  V." 

If  I  must  die,  I'll  snatch  at  every  thing 
That  may  but  mind  me  of  my  latest  breath; 
Death's-heads,    Graves,    Knells,   Blacks,    Tombs, 
all  these  shall  bring 
Into  my  soul  such  useful  thoughts  of  death, 
That  this  sable  king  of  fears 
Shall  not  catch  me  unawares. — Quarks. 

87 


Xast  Mor^s  ot 

against  that  day,'  "  said  of  the  lines  which  Dr.  Bar- 
bour had  just  joined  with  him  in  singing: — 

"  I'm  not  ashamed  to  own  my  Lord, 

Or  to  defend  His  cause. 
Maintain  the  glory  of  His  cross, 

And  honor  all  His  laws." 

The  last  words  of  Drummond,  as  given  above,  are 
only  the  last  recorded.  He  said  much  afterward, 
but  most  of  his  words  were  disconnected.  His  mind 
wandered  idly  from  thought  to  thought  without  aim 
or  purpose. 

DwiGHT  (Timothy,  American  clergyman  and  au- 
thor, President  of  Yale  College.  He  wrote  the  beau- 
tiful hymn,  "  I  Love  Thy  Kingdom,  Lord  "),  1752- 
181 7.    "  O,  what  triumphant  truth!  " 

Edward  L  (of  England,  surnamed  "  Long- 
shanks"),  1 239- 1 307.  "Carry  my  bones  before 
you  on  your  march,  for  the  rebels  will  not  be  able  to 
endure  the  sight  of  me,  alive  or  dead,"  to  his  son 
Edward.  ^  He  died  while  endeavoring  to  subdue  a 
revolt  in  Scotland. 


'  These  instructions  were  probably  ignored ;  for,  when  his 
tomb  was  opened  by  the  Society  of  Antiquaries  in  1771,  those 
present  gazed  for  a  moment  on  the  features  of  the  great 
victor  before  they  sank  into  dust.  The  gold  cloth  was  still 
folded  round  the  colossal  corpse ;  and  the  cast  in  the  eyes 
was  distinctly  noticeable.  The  snow-white  hair  still  remained. 
The  coffin  was  then  filled  with  pitch. — Farrar. 

88 


Dfstfnoufsbeb  f^cn  ant)  Momen 

Edward  VI.  (son  of  Henry  VIII.  and  Queen 
Jane  Seymour) ,  1537- 1553.    ''  Lord  take  my  spirit." 

Edward  (Prince  of  Wales,  surnamed  the  Black 
Prince  from  the  color  of  his  armor),  1330- 1376. 
"  /  give  thee  thanks,  O  God,  for  all  thy  henciits,  and 
with  all  the  pains  of  my  soul  I  humbly  beseech  thy 
mercy  to  give  me  remission  of  those  sins  I  have 
ivickedly  committed  against  thee;  and  of  all  mortal 
men  whom  willingly  or  ignorantly  I  have  offended, 
with  all  my  heart  I  desire  forgiveness." 

Edwards  (Jonathan,  President  of  the  College  of 
New  Jersey  and  one  of  the  greatest  of  metaphysi- 
cians), 1703-1757.  "  Trust  in  God  and  you  need  not 
fear,"  to  one  who  lamented  his  approaching  death  as 
a  frown  on  the  college  and  a  heavy  stroke  to  the 
church. 

The  most  awfully  tremendous  of  all  metaphysical 
divines  is  the  American  ultra-Calvinist,  Jonathan 
Edwards,   whose  book  on   "  Original   Sin  "    I   un- 

John  Zisca,  general  of  the  insurgents  who  took  up  arms 
in  1419  against  the  Emperor  Sigismund,  seems  to  have  had 
a  like  spirit  with  Edward  I.  He  would  revenge  the  deaths 
of  John  Huss  and  Jerome  of  Prague,  who  had  been  cruelly 
burned  at  the  stake  for  their  religious  faith.  He  defeated 
the  Emperor  in  several  pitched  battles,  and  gave  orders  that, 
after  his  death,  they  should  make  a  drum  out  of  his  skin. 
The  order  was  most  religiously  obeyed,  and  those  very  re- 
mains of  the  enthusiastic  Zisca  proved,  for  many  years,  fatal 
to  the  Emperor,  who,  with  difficulty,  in  the  space  of  sixteen 
years,  recovered  Bohemia,  assisted  by  the  forces  of  Germany. 
The  insurgents  were  40,000  in  number,  and  well  disciplined. 

89 


Xast  movt^s  ot 

happily  read  when  a  very  young  man.     It  did  me 
an  irreparable  mischief. — An  English  author. 

Egbert  (Col.  Henry  Clay),  1840- 1899.  "  Good- 
by.  General;  I'm  done.  I'm  too  old,"  said  to  Gen. 
Wheaton,  who  bending  over  the  wounded  officer,  ex- 
claimed, '*  Nobly  done,  Egbert !  "  Col.  Egbert  was 
killed  near  Manila  in  the  war  between  the  United 
States  and  the  Philippines. 

In  all  his  army  service  he  was  wounded  four  times 
before  he  received  his  death  wound.  He  was  ac- 
counted one  of  the  most  competent  officers  in  the 
army,  and  in  action  it  was  said  of  him  that  the  army 
had  no  officer  more  dashing,  with  the  possible  excep- 
tion of  Gen.  Guy  V.  Henry,  now  in  command  of  the 
United  States  forces  in  Porto  Rico.  He  was  a  little 
man,  not  above  five  feet  five  inches,  and  weighed 
only  about  one  hundred  and  ten  pounds.  He  had 
reddish  hair,  streaked  with  gray,  and  wore  a  red 
mustache  and  imperial.  In  plain  clothes  he  was 
most  immaculate,  and  he  was  called  the  best  dressed 
officer  in  the  army. 

N.  Y.  Daily  Sun,  March  2^,  1899. 

Eldon  (John  Scott,  Earl,  Lord  Chancellor  of 
England),  1750-1838.  "  It  matters  not  zvhere  I  am 
going  zvhether  the  weather  be  cold  or  hot,"  to  one 
who  spoke  to  him  about  the  weather. 

He  was  a  bigoted  admirer  of  the  law,  of  which  he 
was  so  consummate  a  master.  Projects  of  law  re- 
form cut  him  to  the  soul,  and  he  has  been  represented 

90 


2)istinout0be6  /IDen  an&  Momen 

as  shedding  tears  on  the  abolition  of  the  punishment 
of  death  for  steaHng  five  shilHngs  in  a  dwelHng- 
house. — Appleton's  Cydopccdia  of  Biography. 

Eliot  (Rev.  John,  commonly  called  "The 
Apostle  to  the  Indians  "),  1604-1690.  ''  O  Come  in 
glory!  I  have  long  waited  for  Thy  coming.  Let  no 
dark  cloud  rest  on  the  work  of  the  Indians.  Let  it 
live  when  I  am  dead.    Welcome  joy!  " 

Elizabeth  (Queen  of  England,  and  daughter  of 
Henry  VIII.  by  Anne  Boleyn),  1533-1603.  "All 
my  possessions  for  one  moment  of  time." 

Some  give  her  last  words  thus :  "  I  v^^ill  have  no 
rogue's  son  in  my  seat." 

When  Sir  Robert  Cecil  declared  that  she  must 
go  to  bed  and  receive  medical  aid,  the  word  roused 
her  like  a  trumpet.  "  Must !  "  she  exclaimed,  "is 
must  a  word  to  be  addressed  to  princes  ?  Little  man, 
little  man  !  thy  father,  were  he  alive,  durst  not  have 
used  that  word."  Then,  as  her  anger  spent  itself, 
she  sank  into  the  old  dejection.  "  Thou  art  so  pre- 
sumptuous," she  said,  "  because  thou  knowest  that  I 
shall  die."  She  rallied  once  more  when  the  ministers 
beside  her  named  Lord  Beauchamp,  the  heir  to  the 
Suffolk  claim,  as  a  possible  successor.  "  I  will  have 
no  rogue's  son,"  she  cried  hoarsely,  "  in  my  seat.'" 
But  she  gave  no  sign  save  a  motion  of  the  head  at 
the  mention  of  the  King  of  Scots.  She  was,  in  fact, 
fast  becoming  insensible;  and  early  the  next  morn- 

91 


Xast  Wiov^s  ot 

ing,  on- March  24,  1603,  the  Hfe  of  EHzabeth,  a  life 
so  great,  so  strange  and  lonely  in  its  greatness,  ebbed 
quietly  away.  ^ 

Elizabeth  (Philippine  Marie  Helene,  usually 
called  Madame  Elizabeth,  sister  of  Louis  XVI), 
1 764- 1 794.  "In  the  name  of  modesty,  cover  my 
bosom! " 

When  she  ascended  the  scaffold,  the  executioner 
rudely  undid  the  clasp  which  closed  the  veil  across 
her  breast.  "  In  the  name  of  modesty,"  she  said  to 
one  of  the  bystanders  whose  arms  were  not  tied, 
"  cover  my  bosom !  " 

Alison,  in  his  '*  History  of  Europe,"  calls  atten- 
tion to  the  fact  that  "  a  similar  instance  of  heroic 
virtue  in  death  occurred  in  a  female  martyr  in  the 
early  Christian  church.  Perpetua  and  Felicitas,  both 
Christians,  were  sentenced  in  the  year  203,  to  be 
killed  by  wild  cattle  at  Carthage.  They  were  both 
attacked,  accordingly,  by  furious  bulls,  who  tossed 
them  on  their  horns.  So  violent  was  the  shock  that 
Perpetua  fell  on  the  ground  stunned ;  but  partly  re- 
covering her  senses,  she  was  seen  gathering  her  torn 
clothes  about  her,  so  as  to  conceal  her  limbs,  and 


*  There  is  a  dim  tradition  that,  much  more  than  a  century 
ago,  the  tomb  under  which  the  two  sister-queens — Mary,  the 
Roman  Catholic,  and  Elizabeth,  the  Protestant,  regno  con- 
sortes  et  urna — lie  side  by  side  had  fallen  into  disrepair,  and 
that  a  bold  Westminster  boy  crept  into  the  hollow  vault,  and, 
through  an  aperture  in  the  coffin,  laid  his  hand  on  the  heart 
of  the  mighty  Tudor  queen. — Farrar. 

92 


H)istinguisbe^  /IDen  auD  Moinen 

after  tying  her  hair,  she  helped  FeHcitas  to  rise,  who 
had  been  severely  wounded ;  and,  standing  together, 
calmly  awaited  another  attack." 

Elliott  (Ebenezer,  English  poet  known  as  the 
"  Corn-Law  Rhymer."  He  was  a  workman  in  an 
iron  foundry  who  won  the  attention  of  the  cultivated 
world  by  his  verses,  and  rose  to  eminence  by  his 
"  Corn-Law  Rhymes  "  in  which  he  urged  the  repeal 
of  duties  on  corn.  He  wrote  also  "  The  Village  Patri- 
arch," "  Byron  and  Napoleon,"  "  Love  "  and  a  num- 
ber of  other  poems  of  more  or  less  merit),  1781- 
1849.  "  -^  strange  sight,  sir,  an  old  man  unwilling 
to  die." 

Emerson  (Ralph  Waldo,  American  essayist,  poet, 
and  speculative  philosopher),  1803- 1882. 

For  the  day  or  two  before  his  death  he  was  trou- 
bled with  the  thought  that  he  was  away  from  home, 
detained  by  illness  at  some  friend's  house,  and  that 
he  ought  to  make  the  effort  to  get  away  and  relieve 
him  of  the  inconvenience.  But  to  the  last  there  was 
no  delirium ;  in  general  he  recognized  every  one  and 
understood  what  was  said  to  him,  though  he  was 
sometimes  unable  to  make  intelligible  reply.  He 
took  affectionate  leave  of  his  family  and  the  friends 
who  came  to  see  him  for  the  last  time,  and  desired 
to  see  all  who  came.  To  his  wife  he  spoke  tenderly 
of  their  life  together  and  her  loving  care  of  him ;  they 
must  now  part,  to  meet  again  and  part  no  more. 
Then  he  smiled  and  said,  "  O,  that  beautiful  boy! " 

93 


Xast  Mor^0  ot 

I  was  permitted  to  see  him  on  the  day  of  his  death. 
He  knew  me  at  once,  greeted  me  with  the  famihar 
smile,  and  tried  to  rise  and  to  say  something,  but  I 
could  not  catch  the  words. 

He  was  buried  on  Sunday,  April  30,  in  Sleepy 
Hollow,  a  beautiful  grove  on  the  edge  of  the  village, 
consecrated  as  a  burial-place  in  1855,  Emerson  de- 
livering the  address.  Here,  at  the  foot  of  a  tall  pine- 
tree  upon  the  top  of  the  ridge  in  the  highest  part  of 
the  grounds,  his  body  was  laid,  not  far  from  the 
graves  of  Hawthorne  and  of  Thoreau,  and  sur- 
rounded by  those  of  his  kindred.  ^ 

James  Elliot  Cabot 


^  The  quiet  little  town  of  Concord  is  greatly  stirred  up  over 
the  discovery  of  a  dastardly  attempt  on  Saturday  night  to 
rob  the  last  resting  place  of  its  noted  dead,  the  grave  of 
Ralph  Waldo  Emerson.  The  fact  that  the  grave  had  been 
visited  by  vandals  was  discovered  early  Sunday  afternoon 
by  a  visitor  to  Sleepy  Hollow  Cemetery,  where  the  remains 
are  interred.  At  the  head  of  the  grave  was  a  large  aperture 
seven  feet  in  depth  and  twenty  inches  wide  extending  to  the 
box  containing  the  casket. 

An  alarm  was  at  once  given,  and  the  town  authorities,  to- 
gether with  the  Sleepy  Hollow  Commissioners,  made  an  in- 
vestigation. The  perpetrators  of  the  deed  have  not  been 
discovered,  but  the  theory  is  that  the  attempted  vandalism 
was  made  some  time  during  Saturday  night,  and  the  villains 
were  frightened  away  by  some  passing  team  on  the  Bedford 
road  just  adjacent.  Whether  the  motive  was  to  obtain  pos- 
session of  the  remains,  or  to  despoil  the  casket  of  its  valuable 
trimmings,  is,  of  course,  a  matter  of  conjecture;  but  the 
general  impression  is  that  the  skull  was  what  was  most 
wanted.  The  wooden  box  inclosing  the  casket  had  decayed 
somewhat,  the  interment  having  taken  place  over  seven  years 

94 


Bisttnouisbcb  flbcn  an^  Momen 

Emmet  (Robert,  an  eloquent  Irish  enthusiast  and 
sincere  patriot,  and  one  of  the  chiefs  of  the  '"  United 
Irishmen"),  1 780- 1 803.    "Not—" 

He  said  on  the  scaffold,  at  the  close  of  a  brief  ad- 
dress :  *'  My  friends,  I  die  in  peace,  and  with  senti- 
ments of  universal  love  and  kindness  towards  all 
men."  He  then  shook  hands  with  some  persons  on  the 
platform,  presented  his  watch  to  the  executioner, 
and  removed  his  stock.  The  immediate  preparations 
for  execution  then  were  carried  into  effect,  he  as- 
sisted in  adjusting  the  rope  round  his  neck,  and  was 
then  placed  on  the  plank  underneath  the  beam,  and 
the  cap  was  drawn  over  his  face;  but  he  contrived  to 
raise  his  hand,  partly  removed  it,  and  spoke  a  few 
words  in  a  low  tone  to  the  executioner.  The  cap 
was  replaced,  and  he  stood  with  a  handkerchief  in  his 
hand,  the  fall  of  which  was  to  be  the  signal  for  the 
last  act  of  the  "  finisher  of  the  law."  After  standing 
on  the  plank  for  a  few  seconds  the  executioner  said : 
"  Are  you  ready,  sir?  "  and  Emmet  said,  "  Not  yet." 


ago,  and  in  the  earth  which  the  rascals  had  thrown  out  were 
some  pieces  of  the  box.  One  side  of  the  casket  had  fallen 
down  a  little,  but  this  is  attributable  to  natural  decay.  Other- 
wise the  casket  had  not  been  disturbed  or  opened. 

Mr.  Edward  W.  Emerson,  son  of  Ralph  Waldo,  arrived 
home  this  afternoon,  and  the  investigation  of  the  desecration 
of  his  father's  grave  was  immediately  entered  upon  by  him 
with  the  town  authorities.  Mr.  Emerson  has  been  out  of  town 
for  two  weeks  or  more,  and  the  first  information  he  had  of 
the  affair  was  that  given  him  upon  his  arrival  this  noon.  The 
earth  has  been  replaced,  and  a  watch  placed  over  the  grave. 

A^.  y.  Times.  Oct.  15,  1889. 

95 


Xast  Ximor&s  of 

There  was  another  momentary  pause ;  no  signal  was 
given;  again  the  executioner  repeated  the  question, 
"Are  you  ready,  sir?"  And  again  Emmet  said, 
"  Not  yet."  The  question  was  put  a  third  time,  and 
Emmet  pronounced  the  word  "  Not ;  "  but  before  he 
had  time  to  utter  another  word  the  executioner  tilted 
one  end  of  the  plank  off  the  ledge. 

Madden' s  Life  of  Emmet. 

Let  no  man  write  my  epitaph ;  for  as  no  man  who 
knows  my  motives  dare  now  vindicate  them,  let  not 
prejudice  or  ignorance  asperse  them.  Let  them  and 
me  repose  in  obscurity  and  peace,  and  my  tomb  re- 
main uninscribed  until  other  times  and  other  men 
can  do  justice  to  my  character.  When  my  country 
takes  her  place  among  the  nations  of  the  earth — 
then,  and  not  till  then — let  my  epitaph  be  written  I 
have  done. — From  Emmet's  Last  Speech. 

See  Moore's  beautiful  poem  on  Emmet's  fate  and 
on  his  attachment  to  Miss  Curran  in  two  of  the  Irish 
Melodies. 

Emmons  (Rev.  Dr.  Nathaniel,  distinguished  New 
England  theologian  and  divine),  1745-1840.  "I 
am  ready." 

Enghien  d'  (Louis  Antoine  Henri  de  Bourbon, 
Due.  French  prince  who  was  arrested  on  neutral 
territory  on  suspicion  of  conspiracy,  and,  after  a 
military  trial  which  was  little  better  than  a  farce, 
shot),  1 772- 1 804.    To  the  soldiers  who  had  pointed 

96 


2)istfn(jufsbe&  /IDen  anb  Momen 

their  g^ns  he  said :  "  Grenadier  si  lozver  your  arms, 
otherzvise  you  zvill  miss  me  or  only  wound  me." 
Some  say  his  last  words  were :  "  Is  there  no  priest 
at  the  chateau? — is  there  no  priest?  " 

A  lantern  glimmering-  at  either  end  of  the  file  of 
soldiers  shewed  d'Enghien  his  fate.  As  the  sentence 
of  death  was  read,  he  wrote  in  pencil  a  message  to  his 
wife,  folded  and  gave  it  to  the  officer  in  command 
of  the  file,  and  asked  for  a  priest.  There  was  no 
priest  in  residence  at  the  chateau.  He  prayed  a  mo- 
ment, covering  his  face  with  his  hands.  As  he  raised 
his  head^  the  officer  gave  the  word  to  fire. 

Hopkins:  "  The  Dungeons  of  Old  Paris." 

This  deed  excited  general  and  deep  indignation 
against  Bonaparte,  and  is  commonly  regarded  as  one 
of  the  worst  crimes  by  which  his  memory  is  stained. 
Lippincott:  "  Biographical  Dictionary." 

Epaminondas  (Theban  statesman  and  general. 
Cicero  describes  him  as  "  the  greatest  man  that 
Greece  ever  produced"),  b.  c.  412-363.  ''All  is 
well!  "  These  words  were  spoken  immediately  after 
the  javelin  had  been  extracted  from  his  breast. 

The  fatal  dart  was  thrown  by  Gryllus,  son  of 
Xenophon,  the  historian  and  leader  of  the  ten  thou- 
sand Greeks  on  their  retreat  from  the  battle-field  of 
Cunaxa  to  the  Black  Sea. 

Erasmus  (surnamed  Roterdamensis,  Dutch 
scholar.    He  was  an  illegitimate  son  of  Gerard  Praet, 

97 


Xast  Mort>0  ot 

a  citizen  of  Gonda),  1467-1536.  "  Dom'inel  Domine! 
fac  ftnem!  fac  Uneni!" 

Etty  (William,  English  historical  painter  among- 
whose  last  pictures  are  "  Pandora  Crowned  by  the 
Seasons,"  "  Ulysses  and  the  Sirens,"  *'  Joan  of  Arc," 
and  "The  Judgment  of  Paris"),  1787-1849. 
''  Wonderful,  wonderful,  this  death!  " 

EucLES  (The  "  runner  "  from  the  plains  of  Mara- 
thon, who  brought  the  news  of  the  successful  issue 
of  that  battle  to  the  anxious  Senate  waiting  at 
Athens).  "  Rejoice  I  zve  rejoice!"  As  Eucles  ran 
he  cried  these  words  until  he  came  to  the  Senate, 
when  he  shouted  them  with  all  his  voice  and  fell 
dead, 

EuGENius  IV.  (Gabriele  Condolmero,  Pope), 
1 383- 1 447.  "  Oh  Gabriele,  hoiv  nmcJi  better  would 
it  have  been  for  thee,  and  how  much  more  would  it 
have  promoted  thy  soul's  zvelfare,  if  thou  hadst  never 
"been  raised  to  the  Pontificate,  but  hadst  been  content 
to  lead  a  quiet  and  religious  life  in  the  monastery." 

EvERERUARD  (Charlcs  de,  Saint-Denis,  French 
courtier,  soldier,  wit  and  litterateur.  He  was  a  brave 
man,  but  of  flippant  disposition),  161 3- 1703. 
''  With  all  my  heart  I  woidd  fain  be  reconciled  to 
my  stomach,  which  no  longer  performs  its  usual 
functions,"  said  to  an  ecclesiastic  who  asked  him  if 
he  would  be  reconciled.    During  his  last  days  he  gave 

98 


H)istinouisbe^  /IDcii  au&  X<3loinen 

no  attention  to  relig-ious  matters,  and  only  regretted 
that  he  could  not  digest  partridges  and  pheasants, 
and  must  eat  only  boiled  meats. 

Farinato  (Paolo,  Italian  painter),  about  1525- 
1606.  "  Noiv  I  am  goi)ig/'  These  words  he  cried 
out  as  he  lay  upon  his  death  bed.  His  wife  who  was 
sick  in  the  same  room,  hearing  him,  answered,  "  I 
will  bear  you  company,  my  dear  husband;"  and  she 
did  so,  for  as  he  drew  his  last  breath  she  also  expired. 

FiCHTE  (Johann  Gottlieb,  distinguished  German 
philosopher  whose  name  is  forever  associated  with 
those  of  Kant,  Schelling,  and  Hegel  as  worthy  of  a 
place  with  the  greatest  thinkers  of  modern  times), 
1762-1814.    "  Indeed  no  more  medicine;  I  am  well." 

The  following,  purporting  to  be  the  "  Dying  Con- 
fession of  Fichte,"  has  been  frequently  published, 
but  upon  what  authority  the  compiler  of  this  book 
has  been  unable  to  discover : 

"  I  know  absolutely  nothing  of  any  existence,  not 
even  of  my  own.  Images  there  are,  and  they  con- 
stitute all  that  apparently  exists.  I  am  myself  one 
of  those  images;  nay,  not  so  much,  but  only  a  con- 
fused image  of  an  image.  All  reality  is  converted 
into  a  marvellous  dream,  without  a  life  to  dream  of, 
or  a  mind  to  dream ;  into  a  dream  itself  made  up  only 
of  a  dream.  Perception  is  a  dream ;  and  thought, 
the  source  of  all  the  existence,  the  reality  of  which  I 
imagine  to  myself,  is  but  the  dream  of  that  dream.'* 

99 


Xast  XimorDs  ot 

For  eleven  days  he  lingered,  with  but  few  intervals 
of  clear  consciousness,  his  sleep  being  ever  deeper 
till  on  the  night  of  the  27th  of  January  all  sign  of 
life  vanished.  He  was  buried  in  the  first  churchyard 
before  the  Oranienburg  gate  in  Berlin ;  at  his  side 
now  lie  the  remains  of  Hegel  and  Solger.  Five 
years  later  his  wife  was  laid  at  his  feet.  On  the  tall 
obelisk  which  marks  his  grave  is  the  inscription  from 
the  Book  of  Daniel :  "  The  teachers  shall  shine  as 
the  brightness  of  the  firmament,  and  they  that  turn 
many  to  righteousness  as  the  stars  that  shine  for  ever 
and  ever." 

Adamson:  "  Life  and  Philosophy  of  Fichte." 

Fillmore  (Millard,  thirteenth  President  of  the 
United  States),  1800-1874.  "  The  food  is  palatable/' 

Flavel  (John,  distinguished  nonconformist 
clergyman  and  author),  1627-1691.  '"  /  knozv  that 
it  will  be  zvell  with  me." 

A  man  of  beautiful  Christian  character  and  great 
learning  who  was  ejected  from  his  charge  at  Dart- 
mouth in  1662  for  nonconformity.  The  Episco- 
palians were  not  satisfied  to  persecute  this  servant  of 
God  during  his  life,  but  ordered  his  monument  re- 
moved from  the  Church  of  St.  Saviour. 

Fontenelle  de  (Bernard  le  Bovier,  author  of 
*'  Conversations  on  a  Plurality  of  Worlds,"  "  Dia- 
logues of  the  Dead  "  and  "  History  of  the  Academy 

100 


S)fstinoulsbe&  /(Deu  an&  Momen 

of  Science"),   1657-1757.     "/  suffer  nothing,  hut 
feel  a  sort  of  difficulty  of  living  longer." 

Voltaire  calls  him,  "  The  most  universal  genius  of 
the  age  of  Louis  XIV." 

FoRDYCE  (George,  distinguished  Scottish  physi- 
cian. Author  of  "  Elements  of  Agriculture  and 
Vegetation"),  1736-1802.  "Stop,  go  out  of  the 
room;  I  am  about  to  die,"  to  his  daughter  who  was 
reading-  to  him. 


^b 


FoRSTER  (Johann  Reinhold,  a  Polish  Prussian 
naturalist,  geographer  and  philologist),  1729- 1798. 
"  This  is  a  beautiful  ivorld." 

Fox  (George,  founder  of  the  Society  of  Friends), 
1624- 1690.  "All  is  well,  all  is  well — the  Seed  of 
God  reigns  over  all,  and  over  death  itself.  Though 
I  am  weak  in  body,  yet  the  power  of  God  is  over  all, 
and  the  Seed  reigns  over  all  disorderly  spirits."  A 
little  later  he  said,  and  they  were  his  last  words, 
"  Never  heed;  the  Lord's  power  is  over  all  weakness 
and  death." 

Fox  (Charles  James,  English  orator  and  states- 
man), 1749-1806.  "  Trotter  will  tell  you,"  said  to 
Mrs.  Fox,  who  did  not  understand  what  he  meant. 

Francis  ("  Saint,"  of  Assisi,  founder  of  an  order 
of  mendicant  friars  called  Franciscans  or  Cordeliers, 
from  the  cord  with  which  they  girded  their  coarse 

lOI 


Xast  Mor&6  of 

tunics  ) ,  1 1 82- 1 226.     "  The  righteous  wait  expectant 
till  I  receive  my  recompense." 

Members  of  his  order  were  kneeling  around  his 
bed,  awaiting  his  death. 

Francke  (August  Hermann,  professor  of  Orien- 
tal languages  at  Halle,  author  of  "  Methodus  Studii 
Theologiae  "  and  other  works,  and  founder  of  the 
orphan  asylum  and  college  for  the  poor  which  were 
known  as  Francke's  Institutions),  1660-1727. 
"  Yes,"  to  his  wife  who  asked  him  if  his  Saviour  was 
still  with  him. 

So  long  as  he  was  able  to  speak  he  would  repeat 
from  time  to  time  in  both  Hebrew  and  German, 
"  God  will  continue  to  support  me.  My  soul  has 
cast  itself  upon  him;  Lord,  I  wait  for  thy  salva- 
tion. 

Franklin  (Benjamin,  moralist,  statesman,  and 
philososopher),  1706- 1790.  "A  dying  man  can  do 
nothing  easy"  He  endured  in  later  years  a  com- 
plication of  diseases,  which  brought  the  extremity  of 
physical  suffering,  but  courage  was  strong,  and  he 
worked  on  almost  to  the  last.  Worn  with  pain,  he 
welcomed  the  end.  His  last  look  was  on  the  picture 
of  Christ  which  had  hung  for  many  years  near  his 
bed,  and  of  which  he  often  said,  "  That  is  the  pic- 
ture of  one  who  came  into  the  world  to  teach  men  to 
love  one  another."  The  resolute  repression  of  all 
signs  of  suffering,  every  indication  of  the  long  con- 
flict, passed  at  once.     He  lay  smiling  in  a  quiet 

102 


Dt9ttnGUfsbe&  /IDen  an&  KHomen 

slumber,  and  the  smile  lingered  when  the  coffin  lid 
shut  him  in.  His  grave  is  in  the  heart  of  the  city 
he  loved,  and  even  the  careless  passerby  pauses  a 
moment  to  read  the  simple  legend. 

An  epitaph,  written  by  him  in  1729,  holds  his 
chief  characteristics,  his  humor,  his  quiet  assurance 
of  better  things  to  come,  whether  for  this  world  or 
the  next : 

THE  BODY 

OF 

BENJAMIN  FRANKLIN, 

PRINTER^ 

(like  the  cover  of  an  old  book, 
ITS  contents  torn  out, 

AND  STRIPT  OF  ITS  LETTERING  AND  GILDING), 

LIES  HERE,  FOOD  FOR  WORMS. 

YET  THE   WORK  ITSELF  SHALL  NOT  BE  LOST, 

FOR  IT  WILL,  AS  HE  BELIEVES,  APPEAR  ONCE  MORE, 

IN  A  NEW  AND  MORE  BEAUTIFUL  EDITION, 

CORRECTED  AND  AMENDED 

BY 

THE  AUTHOR.* 


'  It  has  been  suggested  that  Franklin  was  helped  to  his 
famous  epitaph  upon  himself  by  Benjamin  Woodbridge's 
funeral  elegy  upon  John  Cotton,  preserved  in  Mather's  Mag- 
nalia : 

"  A  living,  breathing  Bible ;  tables  where 
Best  covenants  at  large  engraven  were ; 
Gospel  and  law  in  his  heart  had  each  its  column; 
His  head  an  index  to  the  sacred  volume; 

103 


Xast  Mor&s  of 

Frederick  William  I.  (Friedrich  Wilhelm  I., 
King  of  Prussia,  son  of  Frederick  I.),  1688- 1740. 
"  Hcrv  Jcsu,  to  thee  I  live;  Herr  Jesu,  to  thee  I  die; 
in  life  and  in  death  thou  art  my  gain." 

"  Feel  my  pulse,  Pitsch,"  said  he,  noticing  the 
Surgeon  of  his  Giants:  ''  tell  me  how  long  this  will 
last."  ''  Alas !  not  long,"  answered  Pitsch.  "  Say 
not,  alas;  but  how  do  you  know?  "  "The  pulse  is 
gone !  "  "  Impossible,"  said  he,  lifting  his  arm : 
"  how  could  I  move  my  fingers  so,  if  the  pulse  were 
gone?  "  Pitsch  looked  mournfully  steadfast.  "  Herr 
Jesu,  to  thee  I  live;  Herr  Jesu,  to  thee  I  die;  in  life 
and  in  death  thou  art  my  gain  {Du  bist  mein 
Gewinn)."  These  were  the  last  words  Friedrich 
Wilhelm  spoke  in  this  world.  He  again  fell  into  a 
faint.  Filer  gave  a  signal  to  the  Crown  Prince  to 
take  the  Queen  away.  Scarcely  were  they  out  of  the 
room  when  the  faint  deepened  into  death ;  and  Fried- 
rich Wilhelm,  at  rest  from  all  his  labors,  slept  with 
the  primeval  sons  of  Thor.^ — Carlyle. 


His  very  name  a  title-page ;  and  next 
His  life  a  commentary  on  the  text. 
O,  what  a  monument  of  glorious  worth, 
When  in  a  new  edition  he  comes  forth, 
V/ithout  erratas,  may  we  think  he'll  be 
In  leaves  and  covers  of  eternity." 

'  Mr.  Carlyle  may  well  call  it  a  "  characteristic  trait "  in 
his  favorite  Friedrich  Wilhelm,  as  that  "  wild  son  of  Nature  " 
lay  a-dying,  that  on  a  certain  German  hymn  which  he  "  much 
loved "  being  sung  to  him,  or  along  with  him, — when  they 
came  to  the  words,  "  Naked  I  came  into  the  world,  and  naked 

104 


Dlstinouisbcb  /IDeu  anD  Momen 

Frederick  II.  (of  Prussia,  called  Frederick  the 
Great),  1744- 1786.  "Throw  a  quilt  over  it."  He 
referred  to  one  of  his  dogs  that  sat  on  a  stool  near 
him,  and  was  shivering  from  cold.  These  were  his 
last  conscious  words,  but  later,  in  delirium,  he  said, 
"'  La  montagnc  est  passcc,  nous  irons  mieux." 

The  king  had  always  about  him  several  small 
English  greyhounds;  but  of  these  only  one  was  in 
favor  at  a  time,  the  others  being  taken  merely  as 
companions  and  playmates  to  the  fondling.  As  these 
greyhounds  died  they  were  buried  on  the  Terrace  of 
Sans  Souci,  with  the  name  of  each  on  a  gravestone; 
and  Frederick,  in  his  will,  expressed  his  desire  that 
his  own  remains  might  be  interred  by  their  side — a 
parting  token  of  his  attachment  to  them,  and  of  his 
contempt  for  mankind !  On  this  point,  however,  his 
wishes  have  not  been  complied  with.^ 

Lord  Mahon's  Historical  Essays. 

shall  I  go  out," — "  No,"  said  he,  with  vivacity,  "  not  quite 
naked ;  I  shall  have  my  uniform  on."  After  which  the  singing 
went  on  again  with  vivacity,  akin  to  that  with  which  the 
mother  of  Henri  Quatre — not  left  the  world,  but  brought  her 
son  into  it ;  for  historians,  without  romancing,  tell  us  she 
sung  a  gay  Bearnais  song  as  her  brave  boy  was  coming  into 
the  world  at  Pau. 

^  Mr.  Berkley,  of  Knightsbridge,  who  died  in  1805,  left 
a  pension  of  £25  per  annum  to  his  four  dogs.  This  man, 
when  he  felt  his  end  approaching,  called  for  his  four  dogs. 
These  were  placed  by  his  side ;  and  he  reached  them  his 
trembling  hand,  caressed  them,  and  breathed  his  last  between 
their  paws.  The  four  dogs  were  sculptured,  according  to  his 
last  wish,  upon  the  corners  of  his  tomb. 


Xast  Mor^s  ot 

Frederick  V.  (of  Denmark),  1723-1766.  "" // 
is  a  great  consolation  to  mc,  in  my  last  hour,  that  I 
have  never  wilfully  offended  anyone,  and  that  there 
is  not  a  drop  of  blood  on  my  hands." 

Fuller  (Andrew,  English  Baptist  clergyman, 
first  secretary  of  the  English  Baptist  Missionary  So- 
ciety, and  an  author  of  great  repute  in  his  day.  He 
has  been  called  the  "  Franklin  of  Theology  "),  1754- 
1815.  "  I  have  no  religious  joys;  hut  I  have  a  hope, 
in  the  strength  of  which  I  think  I  cotdd  plunge  into 
eternity,"  said  to  a  young  minister  who  stood  by  his 
bedside. 

FusELi  or  FuESSLi  (John  Henry,  historical 
painter),  1741-1825.  "  Is  Lazvrence  come — is  Law- 
rence come?  " 

He  looked  anxiously  round  the  room — said  sev- 
eral times,  "  Is  Lawrence  come — is  Lawrence 
come?"  and  then  appeared  to  listen  for  the  sound 
of  the  chariot  wheels  which  brought  his  friend  once 
a  day  from  London  to  his  bedside.  He  raised  him- 
self up  a  little,  then  sank  down  and  died,  on  the  i6th 
of  April,  1825,  and  in  the  84th  year  of  his  age. 

Life  of  Fuseli 

Gainsborough  (Thomas,  eminent  portrait  and 
landscape  painter),  1727- 1788.  "  We  are  all  going 
to  heaven,  and  Vandyke  is  of  the  company." 

106 


BistinoufsbeD  /IDen  anb  TlXIlomen 

Galea  (Servius  Sulpicius,  Roman  Emperor),  3 
B.  c.  69  A.  D.  "  Strike,  if  it  he  for  the  Roman's 
good." — Plutarch. 

"  Ferirent  si  ita  e  republica  videretur,"  are  the 
words  of  Tacitus,  who  says,  however,  that  there  were 
many  different  stories  of  what  he  said ;  those  who 
killed  him  could  not  be  expected  to  care  what  it  was ; 
"  non  interfuit  occidentium  quid  diceret." — Clough. 

Gambetta  (Leon  Michel,  French  statesman.  He 
was  a  brilliant  and  courageous  agitator,  and  it  is  to 
his  efforts  in  large  measure  that  the  French  Republic 
owes  its  existence.  It  was  reported  at  the  time  of 
his  death  that  he  met  with  an  accident  in  handling  a 
revolver,  but  there  are  those  who  insist  that  he  was 
deliberately  shot  by  his  mistress,  with  whom  he  had 
quarreled),  1838- 1882.  "  I  am  lost,  and  there  is  no 
use  to  deny  it." 

Gardiner  (James,  a  Scotish  officer  distinguished 
for  piety  and  courage),  1688- 1745.  "  You  are  fight- 
ing for  an  earthly  crown;  I  am  going  to  receive  a 
heavenly  one."  These  words  he  is  reported  to  have 
spoken  to  an  officer  upon  the  opposite  side  after  the 
battle  against  the  Pretender  at  Prestonpans,  in 
which  he  was  mortally  wounded,  but  there  is  some 
doubt  in  the  minds  of  his  biographers  as  to  the  trust- 
worthiness of  the  report. 

See  Rev.  Dr.  Philip  Doddridge's  "  Life  of  Col- 
107 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

onel  James  Gardiner,"  and  the  account  of  Colonel 
Gardiner's  death  in  Scott's  "  Waverley." 

Gardiner  (Stephen,  Bishop  of  Winchester), 
1483-1555.  "  Erravi  cum  Petro,  sed  non  Hevi  cum 
Petro." 

Gardner  (Thomas,  Colonel  in  the  American 
army,  killed  at  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill),  1724-1775. 
His  precise  words  are  not  preserved,  but  the  last  de- 
sire that  he  expressed  was  that  he  might  have  suf- 
ficient strength  to  continue  the  fight  against  the  Brit- 
ish one  half  hour  longer. 

Colonel  Gardner  is  represented,  in  a  dramatic  pro- 
duction called  *'  The  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill  "  which 
was  printed  at  Philadelphia  in  1776,  as  saying  im- 
mediately after  receiving  the  wound  of  which  he 
died: 

"  A  musket  ball,  death-winged,  hath  pierced  my  groin. 
And  widely  oped  the  swift  current  of  my  veins. 
Bear  me  then,  soldiers,  to  that  hollow  space 
A  little  hence,  just  on  the  hill's  decline. 
A  surgeon  there  may  stop  the  gushing  wound, 
And  gain  a  short  respite  to  life,  that  yet 
I  may  return  and  fight  one  half  hour  more. 
Then  shall  I  die  in  peace,  and  to  my  God 
Surrender  up  the  spirit  which  he  gave." 

Garfield  (James  A.,  twentieth  President  of  the 
United  States :  assassinated  by  Charles  Julius 
Guiteau),  1831-1881.    "  The  people  my  trust" 

108 


2)i9tliu3iusbe5  /IDen  an&  Momen 

Garibaldi  (Guiseppe,  Italian  patriot  and  general, 
author  of  "  Cantoni  the  Volunteer  "  and  "  The  Rule 
of  the  Monk  "),  1807-1882.  As  he  lay  dying  two 
small  birds  alighted  on  the  window-sill  and  looked 
into  his  room.  He  noticed  them,  and  said,  "'  Those 
are  the  spirits  of  my  little  girls,  Rosa  and  Annita, 
who  have  come  to  see  their  father  die.  Be  kind  to 
them,  and  feed  them  zvhen  I  am  dead."  It  is  thought 
that  his  mind  was  wandering. 

He  gave  minute  and  positive  orders  to  be  cremated 
immediately  after  death.  The  urn  containing  his 
ashes  was  to  be  placed  under  the  orange  tree  that 
shaded  the  tombs  of  his  two  little  girls.  But  this 
wish,  cherished  for  years,  was  disregarded.  He  was 
embalmed  and  exposed  to  the  gaze  of  the  crowds  who 
hastened  to  Caprera  on  hearing  of  his  death.  The 
excuse  was,  that  it  would  have  been  impossible  to 
have  burned  his  body  in  the  way  he  indicated,  with 
the  aromatic  woods  that  grow  near  the  spot  he  had 
chosen,  as  the  ashes  would  have  been  mixed  with  the 
burned  wood.  But  this  was  only  an  excuse  and 
nothing  more,  for  Dr.  Praudina,  to  whom  Garibaldi 
wrote  on  this  subject  five  years  before  his  death,  had 
prepared  the  sheet  of  asbestos  that  would  have  kept 
together  the  precious  ashes.  The  true  reason  for  this 
violation  of  the  great  man's  order  was  the  desire  of 
the  Republican  party  to  have  the  remains  brought 
to  Rome  and  buried  on  the  Janiculum,  where  from 
time  to  time  political  demonstrations  might  be  made. 
When  once  a  man  is  dead  it  is  very  uncertain  what 

109 


Xast  Mor^s    of 

degree  of  respect  will  be  paid  to  his  expressed  wishes 
by  those  who  survive. 

Garth  (Sir  Samuel,  English  physician  and  poet), 
-1718.  ''Dear  gentlemen,  let  me  die  a  natural 
death,"  to  his  physicians  whom  he  saw  consulting  to- 
gether just  before  his  death.  After  receiving  ex- 
treme unction  he  said,  "  I  am  going  on  my  journey : 
they  have  greased  my  boots  already." 

Gassendi  or  Gassend  (Pierre,  philosopher, 
mathematician,  astronomer  and  metaphysician), 
1592-1655.    "  Yon  see  zvJiat  is  man's  life." 

Gautama  "  The  Buddha,"  Siddhartha  or  Sakya 
Muni,  founder  of  Buddhism),  b.  c.  624-543.  "Be- 
loved Bicktts,  the  principle  of  existence,  and  mutabil- 
ity carries  with  it  the  principle  of  destruction.  Never 
forget  this;  let  yonr  minds  be  tilled  unth  this  truth; 
to  make  it  knozun  to  you  I  have  assembled  you." 
Bigandt's  Life  of  Gautama,  Vol.  ii.,  p.  68. 

Sometimes  his  last  words  are  given  thus :  "  Be- 
hold, brethren,  I  exhort  you,  saying,  Decay  is  in- 
herent in  all  component  things,  but  truth  will  remain 
forever." 

His  life  was  without  reproach.  His  constant 
heroism  equalled  his  conviction;  and  if  his  theory 
was  false,  his  personal  example  was  irreproachable. 
He  was  the  model  of  all  the  virtues  he  preached.  His 
abnegation,  his  charity,  his  unalterable  gentleness  did 
not  forsake  him  for  an  instant.    He  prepared  his  doc- 

iio 


S)fstlnoui5be^  /IDcn  anO  Momen 

trine  by  six  years  of  silence  and  meditation,  and  he 
propagated  it  for  half  a  century  by  the  sole  power  of 
his  word.  And  when  he  died  in  the  arms  of  his 
disciples,  it  was  with  the  serenity  of  a  sage  who  had 
practised  good  all  his  life,  and  who  was  assured  he 
had  found  the  truth. — Barthelcmy  St.  Hilairc. 

Sir  Edwin  Arnold  (in  the  preface  to  his  "  The 
Light  of  Asia")  calls  Gautama  "the  highest,  gen- 
tlest, holiest  and  most  beneficent  personality,  with 
one  exception,  in  the  History  of  Thought,"  who 
"  united  the  truest  princely  qualities  with  the  intellect 
of  a  sage  and  the  passionate  devotion  of  a  martyr. 
.  .  .  Forests  of  flowers  are  daily  laid  upon  his 
stainless  shrines,  and  countless  millions  of  lips  daily 
repeat  the  formula,  *  I  take  refuge  in  Buddha ! '  "^ 


*  The  King  of  Siam  is  sending  an  envoy  to  India  to  re- 
ceive the  relics  of  Buddha,  discovered  some  time  ago  on 
the  Nepal  frontier,  which  were  offered  his  Majesty  by  the 
Indian  Government.  The  King,  who  gratefully  accepted  the 
offer,  has  agreed  to  distribute  portions  of  the  relics  among 
the  Buddhists  of  Burma  and  Ceylon  from  Bangkok.  It 
will  probably  be  remembered  that  in  January  last  a  well- 
preserved  stupa  was  opened  at  the  village  of  Piprahwa, 
on  the  Nepal  frontier,  in  the  Basti  district  of  the  North- 
west Provinces.  This  village  was  in  the  Birdpur  grant,  a 
large  property  owned  by  Mr.  William  C.  Peppe  and  his 
brother.  Inside  the  building  was  found  a  large  stone  coffer, 
crystal  and  steatite  vases,  bone  and  ash  relics,  fragments  of 
lime,  plaster,  and  wooden  vessels,  and  a  large  quantity  of 
jewels  and  ornaments  placed  in  two  vases  in  honor  of  the 
relics.  A  careful  list  was  at  once  made  of  all  the  articles, 
and  Mr.  Peppe  generously  offered  to  place  them  at  the  dis- 
posal  of  the   Government.     The   special  interest  of  the   dis- 

III 


OLast  morC)S  ot 

Gellert  (Christian  Fiirchtegott,  a  German  poet 
of  rare  grace  and  beauty),  17 15-1769.  '"  Nozv,  God 
be  praised,  only  one  Jiour! "  on  being  told  that  he 
could  live  only  an  hour. 

George  IV.  (of  England,  eldest  son  of  George 
III.  and  Queen  Charlotte),  1762- 1830.  "  Waily, 
zvhat  is  this?  It  is  death,  my  ho\:  they  haz'e  de- 
ceived me"  said  to  his  page,  Sir  Walthen  Waller. 

Gerson  (Charlier  de,  surnamed  "  The  Most  Chris- 
tian Doctor,"  chancellor  of  the  University  of  Paris 
and  canon  of  Notre-Dame.  He  is  supposed  to  have 
been  the  author  of  the  "  Imitation  of  Christ,"  at- 
tributed to  Thomas  a  Kempis),  1363- 1429.  "Nozv, 
0  God,  thou  dost  let  thy  servant  depart  in  peace! 


covery  lies  in  the  fact  that  the  relics  in  honor  of  which  the 
stupa  was  erected  appear  to  be  those  of  Gautama  Buddha 
Sakya  Muni  himself,  and  may  be  the  actual  share  of  the 
relics  taken  by  the  Sakyas  of  Kapilavastir  at  the  time  of  the 
cremation  of  Gautama  Buddha. 

The  inscription  on  one  of  the  urns  proves  that  the  builders 
of  the  stupa  believed  the  relics  to  be  those  of  Gautama  Buddha 
himself,  and  runs:  "This  relic-receptacle  of  the  Blessed 
Sakya  Buddha  is  dedicated  by  the  renowned  brethren  with 
their  sisters  and  their  sons'  wives."  The  characters  of  the 
record,  Prof.  Biihrer  points  out,  do  not  mark  medial  long 
vowels,  and  appear  to  be  older  than  those  of  the  Asoka  in- 
scription. 

The  actual  relics,  being  a  matter  of  such  intense  interest 
to  the  Buddhist  world,  were  offered  by  the  Indian  Govern- 
ment to  the  King  of  Siam,  who  is  the  only  existing  Buddhist 
monarch,  with  a  proviso  that  he  would  not  object  to  offer  a 
portion  of  the  relics  to  the  Buddhists  of  Burma  and  Ceylon, 

112 


2)t5tinoufsbet)  /IDen  anb  XKIlomen 

The  soul  that  is  accompanied  to  eternity  by  the 
prayers  of  three  hundred  children,  may  advance  zvith 
humble  hope  into  the  presence  of  their  Father  and 
their  God." 

The  pious  Gerson,  the  canon  of  the  church  and 
chancellor  of  the  University  of  Paris,  had  the  terror 
of  his  last  moments  assuaged  by  the  prayers  of  three 
hundred  children  supported  and  educated  by  his  char- 
ity, and  who  were  congregated  in  his  house  from  the 
threshold  to  his  bedchamber. 

Gibbon  (Edward,  author  of  "The  History  of  the 
Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire"),  1737- 
1794.     "  Mon  Dieu!  Mon  Dieu!" 

Some  authorities  give  his  last  words  thus :  "  Pour- 


and  it  was  suggested  that  his  Majesty  should  send  a  deputa- 
tion to  receive  the  sacred  relics  with  due  ceremonial. 

No  relics  of  Buddha  authenticated  by  a  direct  inscription 
have  before  been  found  in  modern  times,  so  the  relics  are 
as  rare  as  they  are  unique,  and  by  all  Buddhists  will  be 
regarded  as  most  sacred  and  holy  objects  of  devotion.  Their 
presentation  to  the  King  of  Siam,  the  recognized  head  of 
the  religion,  is  therefore  highly  proper.  The  accessories  which 
were  discovered  will,  it  is  understood,  be  distributed  among 
the  Imperial  Museum  at  Calcutta,  the  Lucknow  Provincial 
Museum,  and  perhaps  the  British  Museum,  Mr.  Peppe  re- 
taining a  reasonable  number  of  duplicates  for  his  own  use. 
The  stone  coffer  above  referred  to  is  over  four  feet  in  length 
and  two  in  height.  It  is  made  out  of  a  solid  block  of  sand- 
stone, and  weighs  about  sixteen  hundredweight.  It  is  under- 
stood that  the  acknowledgments  of  the  Government  have  been 
conveyed  to  Mr.  Peppe  for  his  public-spirited  action  in  the 
matter. — London  Times,  Dec.  17,  1886. 


Xast  TKIlor&5  ot 

quoi  est  ce  que  vous  me  quittez,"  to  his  valet-de- 
chanibre. 

The  valet-de-chamhre  observed  that  Mr.  Gibbon 
did  not  at  any  time,  show  the  least  sign  of  alarm,  or 
apprehension  of  death ;  and  it  does  not  appear  that  he 
ever  thought  himself  in  danger,  unless  his  desire  to 
speak  to  Mr.  Darrell  may  be  considered  in  that  light. 

Lord  Sheffield's  Memoirs. 

GoAR  (Saint,  "Patron  Saint  of  the  Rhine"), 
"  My  children,  these  fearful  forests  and  these  barren 
rocks  shall  be  adorned  with  cities  and  temples,  where 
the  name  of  Jesus  shall  be  openly  adored.  Ye  shall 
abandon  your  precarious  and  hard  chase,  and  as- 
semble together  under  temples  lofty  as  those  pines, 
and  graceful  as  the  crown  of  the  palm. 

"Here  shall  my  Saviour  be  finoivn  in  all  the 
simplicity  of  his  doctrines.  Ah!  would  that  I  might 
witness  it;  but  I  have  seen  those  things  in  a  vision. 
But  I  faint!  I  am  weary!  My  earthly  journey  is 
finished!  Receive  my  blessing.  Go!  and  be  kind  one 
to  another." 

Robert  Blakey:  "  Christian  Hermits." 

Goethe  or  Gothe  (Johann  Wolfgang  von, 
greatest  of  German  poets),  1749-1831.  ''More 
light!  more  light!"  He  mistook  the  shadow  of 
death  for  evening  twilight. 

He  continued  to  express  himself  by  signs,  draw- 
ing letters  with  his  fore-finger  in  the  air,  while  he 

114 


2)istinouiBbe&  /IDen  anb  Momen 

had  strength,  and  finally,  as  life  ebbed,  drawing 
figures  slowly  on  the  shawl  which  covered  his  legs. 
At  half  past  twelve  he  composed  himself  in  the  corner 
of  the  chair.  The  watcher  placed  a  finger  on  her  lip 
to  intimate  that  he  was  asleep.  If  sleep  it  was  it  was 
a  sleep  in  which  a  great  life  glided  from  this  world. 
Lewes's  Story  of  Goethe's  Life. 
Coudray,  who  was  present  when  the  poet  died, 
left  a  manuscript  on  "  The  Last  Days  and  the  Death 
of  Goethe,"  which  has  been  published.  Goethe  was 
seated  in  the  bed-room,  in  an  arm-chair  standing  be- 
side the  bed.  Thinking  that  he  saw  paper  lying  on 
the  floor,  he  said :  *'  Why  is  Schiller's  correspondence 
permitted  to  lie  here?  "  Immediately,  thereupon,  he 
uttered  his  last  audible  words :  "  Do  open  the  shut- 
ter in  the  bed-room,  in  order  that  more  light  may 
enter."  (Macht  dock  den  Fensterladen  im  Schlaf- 
gemach  auf,  damit  mehr  Licht  herein  komnie.) 

Goldsmith  (Oliver),  1728-1774.  "No,  it  is 
not,"  to  a  physician  who  asked  if  his  mind  was  at 
ease. 

Gough  (John  Bartholomew,  distinguished  Ameri- 
can temperance  advocate),  1817-1886.  "  Young 
man,  keep  your  record — "  the  last  word  was  inaudi- 
ble, but  was  probably  "  clean."  ^ 


*  A  paragraph  from  one  of  Mr.  Cough's  public  addresses, 
carved  upon  his  monument  in  Hope  Cemetery,  Worcester, 
shows  the  strength  of  his  conviction  and  illustrates  the  direct- 
ness and  force  of  his  style : 


Grant  (Ulysses  Simpson,  eighteenth  President  of 
the  United  States,  and  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
of  American  generals),  1822-1885.  "  Water,"  said 
to  an  attendant  who  inquired  if  he  wished  for  any- 
thing. 

Grattan  (Henry,  Irish  statesman  and  orator), 
1 750- 1 820.  "I  am  perfectly  resigned.  I  am  sur- 
rounded by  my  family.  I  have  served  my  country. 
I  have  reliance  upon  God,  and  am  not  afraid  of  the 
Devil." 

Gray  (Thomas,  author  of  "  Elegy  written  in  a 
country  churchyard  "  ) ,  1 7 1 6- 1 77 1 .  "  Molly,  I  shall 
die!" 

Greeley  (Horace,  famous  editor  of  "  The  Log 
Cabin,"  and  later  founder,  and,  for  thirty  years 
editor  of  "The  New  York  Daily  Tribune"),  1811- 
1872.  "  It  is  done!  "  During  the  closing  days  of  his 
life  his  mind  was  deranged. 

Green  (Joseph  Henry,  distinguished  English  sur- 
geon, thinker,  philosopher,  and  instructor),  1791- 
1863.     "Stopped!" 

Among  all  the  brilliant  young  men  who  gathered 
at  the  feet  of  Samuel  Taylor  Coleridge,  eager  to 

"  I  can  desire  nothing  better  for  this  great  country  than 
that  a  barrier  high  as  heaven  be  raised  between  the  unpolluted 
lips  of  the  children  and  the  intoxicating  cup ;  that  everywhere 
men  and  women  should  raise  strong  and  determined  hands 
against  whatever  will  defile  the  body,  pollute  the  mind,  or 
harden  the  heart  against  God  and  His  truth." 

116 


Distinouisbeb  /iDen  ant)  Monien 

learn  from  this  "  rapt  one  of  the  god-Hke  brow," 
none  surpassed  him  in  admiration,  and  possibly  in 
ability.  It  was  not  strange  that  Coleridge  selected 
him  to  complete  the  development  of  that  "  Spiritual 
Philosophy  ^'  which  was  the  great  unaccomplished 
work  of  his  life.  Upon  Coleridge's  death,  Mr.  Green 
abandoned  all  his  London  work,  threw  aside  the  dis- 
tinctions and  emoluments  of  professional  life,  re- 
wards that  would  surely  increase  from  year  to  year, 
and  devoted  his  whole  time  to  philosophy  and  inci- 
dental studies  to  qualify  himself  for  carrying  out  the 
commission  of  Coleridge.  The  story  of  his  death 
has  been  told  by  one  of  his  colleagues  at  St.  Thomas's 
Hospital,  one  whose  fame  is  familiar  to  the  profes- 
sion, Mr.  Simon.  "  Not  even  the  last  agony  of 
death,"  said  Mr.  Simon,  "  ruffled  his  serenity  of 
mind,  or  rendered  him  unthoughtful  of  others.  No 
terrors,  no  selfish  regrets,  no  reproachful  memories 
were  there.  The  few  tender  parting  words  which  he 
had  yet  to  speak  he  spoke.  And  to  the  servants  who 
were  gathered  grieving  round  him,  he  said,  '  While 
I  have  breath,  let  me  thank  you  for  all  your  kindness 
and  attention  to  me.'  Next,  to  his  doctor  who 
quickly  entered, — ^his  neighbor  and  old  pupil,  Mr. 
Carter, — he  significantly,  and  pointing  to  the  region 
of  his  heart,  said,  '  Congestion,'  after  which  he  in 
silence  set  his  finger  to  his  wrist,  and  visibly  noted  to 
himself  the  successive  feeble  pulses  which  were  just 
between  him  and  death.  Presently  he  said 
'  Stopped,'  and  this  was  the  very  end.     It  was  as  if 

117 


Xast  Mor^9  ot 

even  to  die  were  an  act  of  his  own  self-government ; 
for  at  once,  with  the  warning  word  still  scarce  be- 
yond his  lips,  suddenly  the  stately  head  drooped 
aside,  passive  and  defunct,  forever." 

Dr.  Theophilus  Parvin. 

Gregory  VII.  ("the  Great,"  Pope  Hildebrand), 
about  1 020- 1 085.  "/  harue  loved  justice  and  hated 
iniquity;  therefore,  I  die  an  exile."  He  died  at 
Salerno,  May  25,  1085. 

His  dying  words  are  deeply  affecting,  but  yet  a 
stern  and  unbending  profession  of  the  faith  of  his 
whole  life,  and  of  the  profound  convictions  under 
which  even  his  enemies  acknowledge  him  to  have 
acted.  Chambers'  Encyclopcedia. 

Grey  (Lady  Jane),  1537-1554-  "Lord,  into  Thy 
hands  I  commend  my  spirit." 

Then  the  hangman  kneeled  down  and  asked  her 
forgiveness,  whom  she  forgave  most  willingly.  Then 
he  willed  her  to  stand  upon  the  straw ;  which  doing, 
she  saw  the  block.  Then  she  said,  "  I  pray  you  de- 
spatch me  quickly."  Then  she  kneeled  down,  saying, 
"  Will  you  take  it  off  before  I  lay  me  down?  "  And 
the  hangman  said,  "  No,  Madam.''  Then  she  tied 
the  handkerchief  about  her  eyes,  and,  feeling  for 
the  block,  she  said,  "  What  shall  I  do?  Where  is  it? 
Where  is  it?  "  One  of  the  standcrs-by  guided  her 
thereunto ;  she  laid  her  head  down  upon  the  block 
and  then  stretched  forth  her  body,  and  said  "  Lord, 

118 


S)i6tln(}ufsbe&  /iDen  an&  Momen 

into   Thy   hands   I   commend   my   spirit,"   and   so 
finished  her  Hfe  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1554. 

Fox's  "  Book  of  Martyrs." 
Lady  Jane  was  only  in  her  seventeenth  year,  and 
was  remarkable  for  her  skill  in  the  classical,  oriental, 
and  modern  languages,  and  for  the  sweetness  of  her 
disposition. 

Grotius  or  De  Groot  (Hugo,  jurist,  divine, 
historian,  and  scholar),  1583-1645.  "I  heard  your 
voice;  hut  did  not  understand  what  you  said,"  to 
Quistorpius,  a  clergyman  who  repeated  in  German 
a  prayer  suitable  for  a  dying  person.  Some  say  his 
last  words  were,  "  Be  serious." 

GuiTEAU  (Charles  Julius,  hanged  June  30,  1882, 
in  the  United  States  jail,  Washington,  D.  C.,  for  the 
assassination  of  President  Garfidd),  1 841- 1882. 
"  Glory  hallelujah!  I  am  going  to  the  Lordy!  I 
come!    Ready!    Go!" 

Guiteau  published,  while  in  jail,  his  autobiog- 
raphy, through  the  medium  of  a  metropolitan  news- 
paper. It  is  full  of  repetitions  and  minute  details, 
and  its  reading  is  a  severe  tax  upon  patience.  It  es- 
tablishes the  fact  that,  in  spite  of  his  assertions  to 
the  contrary,  his  motive  was  not  political,  but  was 
the  gratification  of  an  inordinate  vanity.  In  one 
place  Guiteau  says :  "  During  the  week  preceding 
the  President's  removal,  I  read  the  papers  carefully. 
I  thought  it  all  over  in  detail.  I  thought  just 
what    people    would    talk,    and    thought    what    a 

119 


Xast  Mor50  ot 

tremendous  excitement  it  would  create,  and  I 
kept  thinking  about  it  all  the  week.  I  then  prepared 
myself.  I  sent  to  Boston  for  a  copy  of  my  book, 
*  The  Truth,'  and  I  spent  a  week  in  preparing  that, 
and  I  greatly  improved  it.  I  knew  that  it  would 
probably  have  a  large  sale  on  account  of  the  notoriety 
that  the  act  of  removing  the  President  would  give 
me,  and  I  wished  the  book  to  go  out  to  the  public  in 
proper  shape."  It  is  now  generally  believed  that 
Guiteau  was  insane. 

GusTAvus  Adolphus  (Gustavus  II.,  King  of 
Sweden,  one  of  the  greatest  of  soldiers  and  one  of 
the  best  of  men),  1594-1632.  "I  have  enough, 
brother;  try  to  save  your  own  life,"  to  the  Duke  of 
Lauenburg. 

Some  authorities  say  that  when  he  was  fallen  to 
the  ground,  he  was  asked,  who  he  was,  and  replied : 
"  I  am  the  King  of  Sweden,  and  seal  with  my  blood 
the  Protestant  religion  and  the  liberties  of  Germany. 
Alas !  my  poor  Queen !   My  God !   My  God !  " 

A  subaltern  of  the  imperial  army,  observing  the  re- 
spect with  which  the  unknown  officer  was  treated  by 
his  few  followers,  naturally  concluded  that  he  was  a 
person  of  importance,  and  called  out  to  a  musketeer  : 
"  Shoot  that  man,  for  I  am  sure  he  is  an  officer  of 
high  rank."  The  soldier  immediately  fired,  and  the 
King's  left  arm  fell  powerless  by  his  side.  At  this 
moment  a  wild  cry  was  raised,  "The  King  bleeds! 
the  King  is  wounded!  "     "  It  is  nothing!  "  shouted 

120 


2)i5tinauisbe^  /IDen  nnb  Momen 

Gustavus;  "  follow  me."  But  the  pain  soon  brought 
on  faintness,  and  he  desired  the  Duke  of  Lauenburg 
in  French  to  lead  him  out  of  the  throng.  Whilst 
the  duke  was  endeavoring  to  withdraw  him  with- 
out being  noticed  by  the  troops,  a  second  shot  struck 
Gustavus  and  deprived  him  of  his  little  remaining 
strength.  "  I  have  enough,  brother,"  he  said  in  a 
feeble  voice  to  the  duke;  "  try  to  save  your  own  life." 
At  the  same  moment  he  fell  from  his  horse,  and  in 
a  short  time  breathed  his  last. — Markham's  Germany. 

Hale  ( Nathan,  captain  in  Continental  Army,  exe- 
cuted by  the  British  as  a  spy),  1755- 1776.  '"  /  only 
regret  that  I  have  hut  one  life  to  give  to  my 
country! " 

He  was  confined  in  the  green-house  of  the  garden 
during  the  night  of  September  21,  and  the  next 
morning,  without  even  the  form  of  a  regular  trial, 
was  delivered  to  Cunningham,  the  brutal  provost 
marshal,  to  be  executed  as  a  spy.  He  was  treated 
with  great  inhumanity  by  that  monster.  The  serv- 
ices of  a  clergyman  and  the  use  of  a  Bible  were 
denied  him,  and  even  the  letters  which  he  had  been 
permitted  by  Howe  to  write  to  his  mother  and  sisters 
during  the  night  were  destroyed.  He  was  hanged 
upon  an  apple-tree  in  Rutger's  orchard,  near  the 
present  intersection  of  East  Broadway  and  Market 
street.     Lossing's  Field-Book  of  the  Revolution. 

Haller  (Dr.  Albert,  eminent  Swiss  anatomist 
and  physiologist.     He  is  chiefly  known  by  his  "  Dis- 

121 


Xast  TlClor&0  of 

putatlones  Anatomicse  Sdectse."  Greorge  II.  ob- 
tained for  him  a  brevet  as  a  noble  of  England, 
and  he  is  sometimes  spol^en  of  as  Baron  Haller), 
1 708- 1 777.  Feeling  his  own  pulse,  he  exclaimed, 
*'  The  artery  ceases  to  beat,"  and  instantly  expired. 

Halyburton  (Thomas,  professor  of  divinity  in 
the  new  college  at  St.  Andrews),  1674- 1712.  '"  Pray! 
pray! " 

He  cried  out  several  times,  "  Free  grace,  free 
grace;  not  unto  me."  He  spoke  little  the  last  six 
hours  before  his  death,  only  some  broken  sentences, 
which  with  difficulty  were  understood.  Now  and 
then  he  would  lift  up  his  hands  and  clap  them  as  a 
sign  that  he  was  encouraging  himself  in  the  Lord. 
At  last  he  cried,  "  Pray!  pray!  "  which  was  done  by 
five  or  six  ministers,  and  so  he  fell  asleep  in  our  Lord. 

Hamlin  (Cyrus,  distinguished  American  mis- 
sionary and  first  President  of  Robert  College,  Con- 
stantinople), 1811-1900,  *' Put  me  there/' pointing 
to  a  chair  which  belonged  to  his  mother  and  in 
which  he  used  to  sit  as  a  boy,  eighty  years  ago,  in  his 
old  home  at  Waterford.  He  passed  away  peacefully, 
and  his  body  was  buried,  a  few  days  later,  in  the 
cemetery  at  Lexington,  Massachusetts. 

Hammond  (Henry,  English  divine  and  author), 
1 605- 1 660.    "  Lord,  make  haste! " 

Hampden  (John,  English  patriot  and  statesman), 
1 594- 1 643.  "  0  Lord,  save  my  country!  O  Lord, 
be  merciful  to — — /' 

122 


DistinguisbeC)  /IDen  an&  Momen 

Hanway  (Jonas,  English  merchant  famous  for 
his  benevolence,  author  of  "  Journal  of  Travels 
Through  Russia  and  Persia,"  and  "  Historical  Ac- 
count of  the  British  Trade  over  the  Caspian  Sea  "), 
17 1 2- 1 786.  ""//  yon  think  it  will  be  of  service  in 
your  practice  or  to  any  one  who  may  come  after  me, 
I  beg  yon  will  have  my  body  opened:  I  am  willing  to 
do  as  much  good  as  possible." 

Harrison  (Benjamin,  twenty-third  President  of 
the  United  States),  1833-1901.  "Are  the  doctors 
here?  "  to  his  wife  who  had  just  asked  him  if  he 
wanted  anything. 

As  Tuesday  marked  the  turning  point  in  his  dis- 
ease, so  it  was  the  time  from  which  evidences  of 
consciousness  began,  to  disappear.  Since  that  time 
there  were  few  lucid  intervals,  and  it  is  doubtful, 
with  the  single  exception  of  Tuesday  afternoon, 
when  his  little  girl  was  taken  to  his  bedside,  and  he 
recognized  her  for  a  moment,  if  he  had  been  con- 
scious at  all  of  his  surroundings.  The  last  words 
he  spoke  were  to  Mrs.  Harrison  in  answer  to  a  ques- 
tion, but  his  voice  was  then  almost  inaudible  and  his 
manner  indicated  that  it  required  a  concentration  of 
effort  to  grasp  the  import  of  the  wife's  question  and 
frame  a  reply. 

In  his  delirium,  Mr.  Harrison's  mind  wandered 
frequently  to  the  stirring  scenes  through  which  he 
had  passed,  and  he  spoke  of  events  connected  with 
the  history  of  his  country  and  in  which  he  played  a 

123 


Xast  '^KIlor^s  of 

conspicuous  part,  as  the  Chief  Magistrate  of  the 
nation.  But  his  mind  seemed  more  to  be  occupied 
with  thoughts  of  the  Boer  war  than  with  any  other 
one  thing  to  which  he  alluded,  and  it  was  manifest 
that  the  struggle  of  the  South  African  people  for  lib- 
erty had  made  a  deep  impression,  and  had  awakened 
his  strongest  sympathies,  for  he  frequently  talked, 
disconnectedly,  of  course,  of  the  sufferings  of  the 
Boer  people,  and  the  attempt  to  crush  them  out  of  ex- 
istence.— Nezv  York  Sun,  March  14,  1901. 

Harrison  (William  Henry,  ninth  President  of 
the  United  States),  1 773-1 841.  "/  wish  you  to  un- 
derstand the  true  principles  of  government.  I  wish 
them  carried  out.    I  ask  nothing  more/' 

Hauser  (Kaspar,  the  "  Nuremberg  Foundling  '*), 
-1833.  "  Tired — very  tired — a  long  journey — to 
take,"  after  these  words  he  turned  his  face  to  the 
wall  and  never  spoke  again. 

He  was  becoming  more  feeble  every  moment,  and 
repeated  several  times,  "  Tired — very  tired — all  my 
limbs — too  heavy — for  me." 

The  good  Pastor  Fuhrmann  comforted  and  en- 
couraged him  with  the  words  of  Scripture,  ending 
with,  "  Father,  not  my  will,"  and  Kaspar  responded, 
"  but  thine  be  done."  To  test  his  consciousness,  the 
Pastor  asked,  "Who  prayed  thus?"  and  again  he 
was  ready  with  his  answer,  "  Our  Saviour." — "  And 
when?  " — "  Before  he  died."     A  few  minutes  after 

124 


5)i6tin0uisbet)  /IDen  ant)  Momen 

this  followed  his  last  words,  "  Tired — very  tired — a 
long  journey — to  take." — The  Duchess  of  Cleve- 
land :    "  The  True  Story  of  Kaspar  Hauser." 

The  strange  and  mysterious  history  and  sad  death 
of  Kaspar  Hauser  called  forth  the  deepest  interest 
and  sympathy  throughout  Europe.  He  was  dis- 
covered in  the  streets  of  Nuremberg  in  1828,  a  lad 
about  sixteen,  knowing  almost  nothing  of  the  world, 
and  able  to  speak  but  two  or  three  words  of  any 
language,  and  of  the  meaning  of  these  he  had  but  a 
dim  understanding.  He  had  with  him  a  letter  pur- 
porting to  be  written  by  a  Bavarian  peasant,  declar- 
ing that  Hauser  had  been  left  at  his  door,  and  had 
been  cared  for  by  him.  It  was  gradually  ascertained 
that  the  youth  had  been  confined  from  infancy  in  a 
dark  vault,  so  small  that  one  could  not  stand,  and 
could  move  only  slightly  in  its  enclosure.  He  had 
never  tasted  any  food  but  bread  and  water,  which 
had  been  brought  to  him  by  an  unknown  man  while 
he  was  sleeping.  Hauser  was  cared  for  by  a  number 
of  generous  and  sympathetic  patrons,  among  whom 
was  Lord  Stanhope;  and  his  mental  and  physical 
condition  was  studied  by  the  scientific  men  of  the 
time.  In  1833  he  was  invited  to  a  meeting  with  a 
stranger  who  promised  to  reveal  to  him  the  secret  of 
his  strange  condition,  and  to  tell  him  who  he  was, 
but  when  Hauser  was  reading  a  document  given  him, 
this  stranger  suddenly  wounded  him  with  a  dagger, 
causing  his  death  within  three  days.  See  interesting 
history  of  the  "  Nuremberg  Foundling  "  in  Merker's 

125 


Xast  xmor^s  of 

"  Rasper  Hauser,"  and  Feuerbach's  ''  Account  of  an 
Individual  Kept  in  a  Dungeon." 

Havergal  (Frances  Ridley),  1836- 1879.  "He." 
It  is  thought  she  wished  to  say,  "  He  died  for  me." 

Havelock  (Sir  Henry),  1795-1857.  ''Come, 
?ny  son,  and  see  hozv  a  Christian  can  die." 

Haydn  (Francis  Joseph),  1732- 1809.  "  God  pre- 
serve the  Emperor."  He  referred  to  the  Emperor 
Francis. 

In  1809  Vienna  was  bombarded  by  the  French.  A 
round-shot  fell  into  his  garden.  He  seemed  to  be  in 
no  alarm,  but  on  May  25  he  requested  to  be  led  to  his 
piano,  and  three  times  over  he  played  the  "  Hymn  to 
the  Emperor,"  with  an  emotion  that  fairly  overcame 
both  himself  and  those  who  heard  him.  He  was  to 
play  no  more;  and,  being  helped  back  to  his  couch, 
he  lay  down  in  extreme  exhaustion  to  wait  for  the 
end.  Six  days  afterward.  May  31,  1809,  died 
Francis  Joseph  Haydn,  aged  seventy-seven. 

Haweis's  "  Music  and  Morals." 

Haydon  (Benjamin  Robert,  English  artist  ), 
1 786- 1 846.  His  last  recorded  words  were,  "God 
forgive  me. — Amen!"  Haydon  took  his  own  life  in 
a  moment  of  great  mental  depression. 

At  dinner  he  got  up  from  his  chair  and  turned 
a  glazed  picture  to  the  wall ;  his  brain  could  not  bear 
the  reflected  light.     He  looked  flushed  and  haggard, 

126 


and  passed  a  silent  and  abstracted  evening.  That 
night  he  was  heard  walking  about  his  room  nearly 
the  whole  night,  apparently  in  great  agitation.  It 
was  in  those  wakeful  hours  he  settled  his  resolve.  He 
was  dressed  and  out  of  his  room  early  the  next  morn- 
ing (22d  June),  and  walked  down,  before  breakfast, 
to  Riviere,  a  gunmaker  in  Oxford  Street,  near  Re- 
gent Street.  Here  he  bought  one  of  a  pair  of  pistols. 
He  came  home  about  9  a.  m.,  breakfasted  alone, 
then  went  to  his  painting-room,  and  probably  wrote 
the  letters  to  his  children,  his  will,  and  his  "  last 
thoughts."  As  his  mother  and  sister  passed  the  paint- 
ing-room door  on  their  way  to  their  rooms,  about 
10:30  A.  M.^  they  tried  the  door — it  was  locked — 
and  he  called  out  very  fiercely,  "  Who's  there?  "  A 
few  minutes  after,  as  if  regretting  the  tone  in  which 
he  had  spoken,  he  came  up  to  his  mother's  room, 
kissed  her  affectionately,  and  lingered  about  the  room 
as  if  he  had  something  to  say.  But  he  said  little,  ex- 
cept to  ask  her  to  call  that  day  on  an  old  friend  (one 
of  the  executors  he  had  just  named  in  his  will)  and, 
returned  to  his  painting-room,  deliberately  wrote  in 
his  journal : — 

**  God  forgive  me. — Amen ! '" 

In  a  few  moments  he  had  destroyed  himself. 

'Stoddard:  "  Haydon's  Life,  Letters  and  Table 
Talk." 

Hazlitt  (William,  essayist  and  critic),  1778- 
1830.     "  I  have  led  a  happy  life." 

127 


Xast  Mor53  of 

Heine  (Heinrich,  German  poet  and  author), 
1800-1856.  "Set  your  mind  at  rest,  Dieu  me  par- 
donnera,  c'est  son  metrer." 

Some  hours  before  he  died  a  friend  came  into  his 
room  to  see  him  once  more.  Soon  after  his  entry  he 
asked  Heine  if  he  was  on  good  terms  with  God.  "  Set 
your  mind  at  rest,"  said  Heine,  "  Dieu  me  pardon- 
nera,  c'est  son  metrer."' 

Stigand:  "  Life,  Work  and  Opinions  of  Heine." 

Catherine  Bourlois,  Heine's  nurse,  says  in  a  letter 
to  Mrs.  Charlotte  Embden,  that  Heine's  last  words 
often  repeated  were,  "  I  am  done  for."  She  en- 
deavored to  comfort  him  with  such  kind  and  relig- 
ious words  as  came  to  her  mind,  but  all  that  she 
said  had  little  effect. 

Heloise  or  Eloise  (a  beautiful  and  accomplished 
French  woman ;  the  niece  of  Fulbert,  canon  of  Notre- 
Dame.  She  became  successively  the  pupil,  mistress 
and  wife  of  Abelard.  After  her  marriage  she  became 
prioress  of  Argenteuil,  and  acquired  a  high  reputa- 
tion for  piety.  Her  letters,  written  in  elegant  Latin, 
and  printed  with  those  of  Abelard,  are  the  expres- 
sions of  a  noble  and  fervent  spirit),  about  1 100- 1 164. 
"  In  death  at  last  let  me  rest  with  Abelard." 

Heloise,  when  she  felt  the  approach  of  death,  di- 
rected the  sisterhood  to  place  her  body  by  the  side  of 
that  of  Abelard,  in  the  same  coffin.  It  was  commonly 
reported  and  believed,  such  was  the  credulity  of  the 
age,  that  at  the  moment  when  the  coffin  of  Abelard 

128 


Distiiiouisbet)  /IDen  aii&  Momen 

was  opened  to  lay  her  within,  it,  the  arm  of  the  skele- 
ton stretched  itself  out,  opened,  and  appeared  to  be 
reanimated  to  receive  the  beloved  one.  They  reposed 
for  five  hundred  years  in  one  of  the  aisles  of  the 
Paraclete,  and  after  various  changes,  came  to  rest 
at  last  in  the  beautiful  cemetery  of  Pere-la-Chaise  at 
Paris. 

Hemans  (Felicia  Dorothea),  1794-1835.  "/ 
feci  as  if  I  were  sitting  with  Mary  at  the  feet  of  my 
Redeemer,  hearing  the  nmsic  of  his  voice,  and  learn- 
ing of  Him  to  he  meek  and  lowly." 

Hendricks  (Thomas  A.,  Vice-President  of  the 
United  States),  1819-1885.  "  At  rest  at  last.  Now  I 
am  free  from  pain." 

Henry  IV.  (of  France),  1553-1610.  "I  am 
wounded,"  said  when  struck  by  the  assassin  Ra- 
vaillac. 

While  the  coach  stopped,  the  attendants  with  the 
exception  of  two,  went  on  before;  one  of  these  two 
advanced  to  clear  the  way,  the  other  stopped  to  fasten 
his  garter.  At  that  instant  a  wild-faced,  red-haired 
man  in  a  cloak,  who  had  followed  the  coach  from  the 
Louvre,  approached  the  side  where  the  king  sat,  as 
if  endeavoring  to  push  his  way,  like  other  passengers, 
between  the  coach  and  the  shops.  Suddenly  putting 
one  foot  on  a  spoke  of  the  wheel,  he  drew  a  knife, 
and  struck  the  king,  who  was  reading  a  letter,  be- 
tween the  second  and  third  rib,  a  little  above  the 
heart.     *'  I  am  wounded,"   cried  the  king,  as  the 

129 


Xast  Mort)5  of 

assassin,  perceiving  that  the  stroke  had  not  been 
effectual,  repeated  it.  The  second  blow  went  directly 
to  the  heart ;  the  blood  gushed  from  the  wound  and 
from  his  mouth,  and  death  was  almost  instantaneous. 
A  tliird  blow  which  the  assassin  aimed  at  his  victim 
was  received  by  the  Duke  of  Eperon  in  the  sleeve. 

The  assassin's  name  was  Francis  Ravaillac,  a 
native  of  Angoumois,  who  had  been  a  solicitor  in 
the  courts  of  law.  Whether  the  crime  was  prompted 
solely  by  his  own  imagination,  or  whether  he  was 
the  instrument  of  any  deep-laid  conspiracy,  was 
never  clearly  ascertained,  though  the  latter  was  the 
general  supposition. — Chambers'  Miscellany. 

Henry  VIII.  (second  son  of  Henry  VII.  and 
Elizabeth  of  York.  The  death  of  his  elder  brother 
Arthur,  in  1502,  made  him  heir  apparent  to  the 
throne.  He  married  his  brother's  widow,  Catharine 
of  Aragon,  and,  upon  his  father's  death  in  1509,  was 
crowned  king  of  England.  The  great  event  in  his 
reign  was  his  divorcement  of  Catharine  and  his  mar- 
riage with  Anne  Boleyn,  which  led  to  the  repudiation 
of  Romanism  in  England,  and  the  organization  of 
the  English  or  Episcopal  Church),  1 491- 1547. 
"Monks!  Monks!  Monks!"  He  was  in  all  prob- 
ability thinking  of  the  time  when  he  abolished  the 
monasteries  and  turned  the  monks  out  of  doors. 

Henry  (Patrick,  American  statesman  and  ora- 
tor), 1 736- 1 799.  "  I  trust  in  the  mercy  of  God,  it  is 
not  now  too  late." 

130 


BistlnouisbeD  /IDen  m\t>  Moinen 

Henry  (Philip,  English  dissenting  clergyman. 
He  was  the  father  of  Matthew  Henry,  the  eminent 
English  divine  and  commentator),  163 1- 1696.  "  O 
death,  where  is  thy — "  Here  his  speech  failed,  and 
in  a  few  moments  he  breathed  his  last. 

Henry  (Matthew,  commentator  on  the  Bible), 
1 662- 1 7 14.  "  A  life  spent  in  the  service  of  God,  and 
communion  with  Him,  is  the  most  comfortable  and 
pleasant  life  that  any  one  can  live  in  this  present 
world." 

He  was  twenty-five  years  pastor  of  a  church  at 
Chester,  and  during  that  time  went  through  the 
Bible  three  times  in  the  course  of  expository  lectures. 
"  At  the  commencement  of  his  ministry  he  began 
with  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis  in  the  forenoon,  and 
the  first  chapter  of  Matthew  in  the  afternoon.  Thus 
gradually  and  steadily  grew  his  '  Exposition  '  of  the 
Bible.  A  large  portion  of  it  consists  of  his  public 
lectures,  while  many  of  the  quaint  sayings  and  pithy 
remarks  with  which  it  abounds,  and  which  give  so 
great  a  charm  of  raciness  to  its  pages,  were  the 
familiar  extempore  observations  of  his  father  at 
family  worship,  and  noted  down  by  Matthew  in  his 
boyhood." 

Herbert  (George,  author  of  some  of  the  finest 
sacred  lyrics  in  the  English  language),  1 593-1632. 
"  I  am  nozv  ready  to  die.  Lord,  forsake  me  not,  now 
my  strength  faileth  me;  hut  grant  me  mercy  for  the 

131 


Xast  Mor^s  ot 

merits  of  my  Jesus.  And  now  Lord — Lord,  now 
receive  viy  soul." 

With  these  words  he  breathed  forth  his  divine 
soul,  without  any  apparent  disturbance,  Mr.  Wood- 
not  and  Mr.  Bostock  attending  his  last  breath,  and 
closing  his  eyes. 

Thus  he  lived,  and  thus  he  died  like  a  saint,  un- 
spotted of  the  world,  full  of  alms-deeds,  full  of  hu- 
mility, and  all  the  examples  of  a  virtuous  life ;  which 
I  cannot  conclude  better,  than  with  this  borrowed 
observation : 

All  must  to  their  cold  graves ; 
But  the  religious  actions  of  the  just 
Smell  sweet  in  death,  and  blossom  in  the  dust. 

Izaak  Walton. 

Herder  (  Joliann  Gottfried  von,  court-preacher  at 
Weimar,  and  one  of  the  most  brilliant  and  delight- 
ful of  German  authors),  1744- 1803.  He  died  writing 
an  "  Ode  to  the  Deity;  "  his  pen  had  just  reached  the 
last  line.  His  last  spoken  words  were  "  Refresh 
me  with  a  great  thought." 

Hervey  (James,  English  divine,  author  of  the 
once  popular  book,  "  Meditations  Among  the 
Tombs"),  1713-1758.     ''  Precious  salvation!  " 

Leaning  his  head  against  the  side  of  the  easy-chair, 
without  a  sigh,  or  groan,  or  struggle,  he  shut  his 
eyes  and  died. 

Heylin  (Peter,  author  of  "  Life  of  Bishop 
Laud  "  and  "  Defence  of  the  Church  of  England  "), 
1600- 1662.     ^'  I  go  to  my  God  and  Saviour." 

132 


S)!stinoufsf)e^  /IDen  an^  Momen 

Hill  (Rev.  Rowland,  a  popular,  pious,  but  eccen- 
tric preacher),  1745-1833.  "Christ  also  hath  once 
suffered  for  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he 
might  bring  us  unto  God." 

HoBBES  (Thomas,  philosopher  and  translator), 
1 588- 1679.  "  Nozv  am  I  about  to  take  my  last  voy- 
age— a  great  leap  in  the  dark." 

Some  say  Hobbes's  last  words  were :  "  I  shall  be 
glad  to  find  a  hole  to  creep  out  of  the  world  at." 

He  clung  warmly  to  his  friends,  had  a  horror  of 
being  left  alone  in  his  illness,  bequeathed  all  his  prop- 
erty to  the  faithful  servant  and  friend  who  had  been 
his  amanuensis.  He  was  not  afraid  of  death  but 
said  he  should  willingly  "  find  some  hole  to  creep 
out  of  the  world  at,"  and  was  wont  to  amuse  himself 
with  choosing  for  the  epitaph  to  be  graven  on  his 
tombstone,  "  This  is  the  true  philosopher's  stone." 
Alger's  "  Genius  of  Solitude." 

Hodge  (Charles,  American  theologian,  for  fifty- 
six  years  President  of  Princeton  Theological 
Seminary,  His  "  Systematic  Theology  "  in  three  vol- 
umes, is  one  of  the  ablest  compends  of  divinity  in 
the  English  language.  His  "  Commentary  on  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans  "  has  been  greatly  prized  by 
Bible-students),  1797- 1878.  "My  zvork  is  done, 
the  pins  of  the  tabernacle  are  taken  out." 

A  moment  later  he  was  heard  to  whisper: 

"  A  guilty,  zveak,  and  helpless  worm, 
On  Thy    kind  arms  I  fall" 


Xast  *CClor&0  of 

HoFER  (Andreas,  Tyrolese  patriot),  1 767-1810. 
"  I  stand  in  the  presence  of  my  Creator,  and  stand- 
ing I  zuill  render  back  my  spirit  to  God  zvho  gave  it. 
Fire! "  to  the  officer  who  directed  him  to  place  him- 
self on  his  knees. 

The  first  six  shots  wounded  him  but  slightly. 
Dropping  on  his  knees  he  received  the  remaining  six, 
and  was  still  struggling  convulsively  when  a  cor- 
poral, discharging  a  pistol  close  to  his  head,  put  an 
end  to  his  sufferings. — Markham. 

Hogg  (James,  "the  Ettrick  Shepherd"),  1772- 
1835.  "It  is  likely  you  may  never  need  to  do  it 
again,"  to  his  wife,  whom  he  had  asked  to  watch  by 
his  bedside  during  the  night. 

Hood  (Thomas),  1798-1845.  "  Dying,  Dying." 
Like  poor  Yorick.  he  was  "  a  fellow  of  infinite  jest; 
of  most  excellent  fancy."  In  his  genius  were  united 
the  intensely  pathetic  and  the  exquisitely  humorous. 
His  life  was  one  of  toil  and  suffering,  and  yet  he  was 
always  joking  and  making  those  around  him  laugh. 
His  wit  did  not  forsake  him  on  his  death-bed;  it  is 
recorded  that  when  a  mustard  plaster  was  applied 
to  his  attenuated  feet,  he  was  heard  feebly  to  remark 
that  there  was  "  very  little  meat  for  the  mustard." 

He  died  on  the  3d  of  May,  1845,  ^"^i  on  a  July 
day  nine  years  later  Monckton  Milnes  unveiled  the 
monument  which  stands  above  his  grave  in  Kensal 
Green  Cemetery.  Beneath  the  bust  there  runs  the 
legend,  "  He  sang  the  Song  of  the  Shirt,"  and  on 

134 


2)istinauf5be&  /IDen  an&  Momen 

either  side  of  the  pedestal  are  bas-relief  medallions  of 
"  Eugene  Aram's  Dream "  and  "  The  Bridge  of 
Sighs  " — all  pertinent  reminders  of  the  fact  that 
there  was  a  serious  as  well  as  a  humorous  side  to  the 
genius  of  Hood.  He  himself,  there  can  be  no  doubt, 
would  have  elected  to  live  by  his  serious  verse. 

Hooker  (Richard,  eminent  English  clergyman), 
1553-1600.  "Good  Doctor,  God  has  heard  my 
daily  petitions,  for  I  am  at  peace  zvith  all  men,  and 
he  is  at  peace  with  me;  and  from  which  blessed  as- 
surance I  feel  that  inivard  joy  zvhich  this  world  can 
neither  give  nor  take  away." 

Some  say  his  last  words  were,  "  My  days  are  past 
as  a  shadow  that  returns  not." 

Hooper  (John,  Bishop  of  Gloucester  and  later 
Bishop  of  Worcester  in  commendam) ,  about  1495- 
1555-    '^  yo^^  ^^"^^  ^^^y  soul,  away  with  it!" 

In  January,  1555,  he  was  condemned  on  three 
charges :  for  maintaining  the  lawfulness  of  clerical 
marriage,  for  defending  divorce  and  for  denying 
transubstantiation.  He  called  the  mass  "  the  iniquity 
of  the  devil."  He  was  sentenced  to  die  at  the  stake 
in  Gloucester,  whither  he  was  conveyed.  He  met  his 
death  firmly  and  cheerfully.  To  a  friend  bewailing 
his  lot,  the  martyr  replied  in  the  oft-quoted  words, 
"  Death  is  bitter,  and  life  is  sweet,  but  alas !  consider 
that  death  to  come  is  more  bitter,  and  life  to  come  is 
more  sweet."  In  another  conversation  he  said,  "  I 
am  well,  thank  God;  and  death  to  me  for  Christ's 

135 


Xast  imov^s  of 

sake  is  welcome."  His  martyrdom  was  witnessed  by 
a  large  throng  of  people.  The  martyr  w^as  forbidden 
to  address  the  crowd.  A  real  or  pretended  pardon 
being  promised  if  he  would  recanc,  he  spurned  it 
away,  saying,  "  If  you  love  my  soul,  away  with  it." 
His  agony  was  greatly  prolonged  and  increased  by 
the  slow  progress  of  the  fire  on  account  of  the  green 
faggots,  which  had  to  be  rekindled  three  times  before 
they  did  their  work. 
Rev.  D.  S.  Schaff-  in  the  Religions  Encydopcrdia. 

Some  authorities  say  Bishop  Hooper's  last  words 
were,  "  Good  people,  give  me  more  fire."  Other  au- 
thorities have  it,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." 

Hopkins  (Rev.  Samuel,  D.  D.,  distinguished 
theologian  and  controversialist :  founder  of  the  so- 
called  "  Hopkinsian  Theology  "),  1721-1803.  "My 
anchor  is  well  cast,  and  my  ship,  though  weather- 
beaten,  will  outride  the  storm." 

HoTMAN  (William,  Revolutionary  soldier  and  pa- 
triot, the  record  of  .whose  noble  and  courageous  spirit 
is  preserved  upon  a  grave-stone  at  Groton,  Con- 
necticut), -1 78 1.  "  We  will  endeavor  to  crazvl  to 
this  line;  we  will  completely  wet  the  powder  with  our 
blood;  thus  zvill  zve,  with  tJie  life  tliat  remains  in  us, 
save  the  fort  and  the  magazine,  and  perhaps  a  few 
of  our  comrades  who  are  only  wounded! " 

The  entire  inscription  upon  the  stone  reads  thus : 
"On  the  20th  of  October,   1781,  four  thousand 
English  fell  upon  this  town  with  fire  and  sword — 

136 


'a)fstfnoui6be^  /iDen  anC)  Momen 

seven  hundred  Americans  defended  the  fort  for  a 
whole  day,  but  in  the  evening  about  four  o'clock,  it 
was  taken.  The  commander  declined  delivering  up 
his  sword  to  an  Englishman,  who  immediately 
stabbed  him !  All  his  comrades  were  put  to  the 
sword.  A  line  of  powder  was  laid  from  the  magazine 
of  the  fort  to  be  lighted  to  blow  the  fort  up  into  the 
air.  William  Hotman,  who  lay  not  far  distant, 
wounded  by  three  stabs  of  a  bayonet  in  his  body, 
beheld  it,  and  said  to  one  of  his  wounded  friends, 
who  was  still  alive,  '  We  will  endeavor  to  crawl  to 
this  line;  we  will  completely  wet  the  powder  with 
our  blood ;  thus  will  we,  with  the  life  that  remains 
in  us,  save  th/^  fort  and  the  magazine,  and  perhaps  a 
few  of  our  comrades  who  are  only  wounded ! '  He 
alone  had  strength  to  accomplish  this  noble  design. 
In  his  thirtieth  year  he  died  on  the  powder  which 
he  overflowed  with  his  blood.  His  friend,  and  seven 
of  his  wounded  companions,  by  that  means  had  their 
lives  preserved.     Here  rests  William  Hotman." 

Hough  (John,  Bishop  of  Oxford,  afterward 
Bishop  of  Worcester),  1651-1743.  "We  part  to 
meet  again,  I  hope,  in  endless  joys,"  to  some  friends 
who  were  with  him  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

Houston  (Samuel,  known  as  "  Sam,"  com- 
mander-in-chief of  the  Texan  army  and  "  Hero  of 
San  Jacinto,"  President  of  Texas,  and,  after  annexa- 
tion, United  States  Senator),  1793-1862.    "Texas! 

137 


Xast  XRIlorDs  ot 

Texas! " — after  a  pause,   he   faintly  breathed   the 
name  of  his  wife,  "  Margaret,"  and  passed  away, 

Howard  (Wilham,  Viscount  Stafford.  Having 
been  accused  by  Titus  Oates  of  compHcity  in  the 
Popish  Plot,  he  was  convicted  of  treason  and  exe- 
cuted December  29th,  1680.  It  is  believed  that  he 
was  innocent),  16 12- 1680.     "  /  do  forgive  you." 

Having  embraced  and  taken  leave  of  his  friends, 
he  knelt  down  and  placed  his  head  on  the  block : 
the  executioner  raised  the  axe  high  in  the  air,  but 
then  checking  himself  suddenly  lowered  it.  Stafford 
raised  his  head  and  asked  the  reason  for  the  delay. 
The  executioner  said  he  waited  the  signal.  "  I  shall 
make  no  sign,"  he  answered;  "  take  your  own  time.'' 
The  executioner  asked  his  forgiveness.  "  I  do  for- 
give you,"  replied  Stafford,  and  placing  his  head 
again  in  position,  at  one  blow  it  was  severed  from 
his  body. — BclCs  "  Chapel  and  Tower.' 

Howard  (John,  distinguished  philanthropist), 
1726-1790.  "  Suifer  no  pomp  at  my  funeral,  nor 
monumental  inscription  where  I  am  laid.  Lay  me 
quietly  in  the  earth  and  put  a  sun-dial  over  my  grave, 
and  let  me  he  forgotten."  ^ 

*  Tacitus  said,  "  At  my  funeral  let  no  tokens  of  sorrow  be 
seen,  no  pompous  mockery  o£  woe.  Crown  me  with  chaplets, 
strew  flowers  on  my  grave,  and  let  my  friends  erect  no  vain 
memorial  to  tell  where  my  remains  are  lodged." 

Ludovious  Cortesius,  a  rich  lawyer  at  Padua,  commanded 
by  his   last  will,   that  no  man   should  lament;  but,  as  at  a 


Distinoui0be&  /iDen  an&  Momen 

A  rude  obelisk  is  erected  over  his  grave,  bearing 
the  brief  Latin  inscription,  "  Vixet  propter  alios  " — 
he  lived  for  the  good  of  others. 

He  may  have  lived  for  others  but  it  is  recorded  of 
him  that  he  was  a  tyrant  in  his  own  house ;  that  his 
cruel  treatment  caused  the  death  of  his  wife;  and  that 
he  was  in  the  habit  of  punishing  his  only  son  with 
the  greatest  severity.  Dr.  Forbes  Winslow  thinics 
Howard  was  insane,  and  there  is  much  to  justify  that 
opinion. 

Hull  (Isaac,  commodore),  1775-1843.  "I 
strike  my  Hag." 

Humbert  I.  (King  of  Italy),  1844-1900.  "  It  is 
nothing."  These  words  were  spoken  as  he  sank  into 
the  arms  of  his  aide,  upon  receiving  the  third  bullet 
from  the  revolver  of  the  assassin  Bressi,  at  Monza, 
where  he  attended  a  gymnastic  fete  and  distributed 
prizes. 

"  The  King  at  once  took  his  place  on  the  platform 
amid  the  tumultuous  cheering  of  the  people.  He 
wore  civilian  attire,  and  appeared  to  be  in  excellent 
health  and  spirits.     In  distributing  the  prizes,  his 


wedding,  music  and  minstrels  to  be  a  delight  to  the  people, 
should  be  provided ;  and  instead  of  black  mourners,  he  ordered 
that  twelve  virgins  clad  in  green  should  carry  him  to  the 
church. 

The  Hon.  T.  G.  Shearman  wrote  in  his  diary  (read  at  his 
funeral  in  Plymouth  church,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.)  under  date 
of  May  21,  1894:  "Give  me  an  unostentatious,  cheery  funeral, 
in  no  darkened  room,  and  with  no  dreariness  of  any  kind." 


Xast  Mor&s  of 

Majesty   made   a   speech    which    he   conckided   by 
saying : 

"  '  It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  be  among  my 
own  people  after  so  long  an  absence  from  Monza.' 

"  These,  as  it  proved,  were  the  last  words  King 
Humbert  uttered  publicly.  The  distribution  of  the 
prizes  ended  at  10:30  o'clock,  and  on  leaving  the 
platform  the  King  entered  the  first  of  the  two  four- 
wheeled  court  carriages  that  were  waiting.  He  sat 
on  the  right  of  Lieut.-Gen.  Ponziovaglia,  his  chief 
aide. 

"  As  the  carriage  began  to  move  the  members  of 
the  various  gymnastic  societies  gathered  round  and 
cheered  the  King  enthusiastically.  His  Majesty, 
smiling  and  acknowledging  the  demonstration, 
brought  the  carriage  to  a  temporary  halt. 

"  It  was  beginning  to  start  again  when  three  re- 
volver shots  rang  out,  startling  every  one.  The 
horses  were  frightened  and  began  to  rear,  and  almost 
simultaneously  the  people  saw  that  the  King  had 
fallen  into  the  arms  of  his  aides,  bleeding  from  his 
neck  and  breast. 

"  The  murderer  was  instantly  recognized  and  the 
enraged  people  fell  upon  him  with  the  evident  inten- 
tion of  killing  him.  He  was  kicked,  cuffed  and  beaten 
with  canes.  He  would  not  have  escaped  alive  if 
carbiniers  and  members  of  the  fire  brigade  had  not 
rushed  through  the  crowd  and  seized  the  culprit. 
They  formed  a  cordon  round  him  and  conveyed  him 
to  jail  amid  the  execrations  of  the  crowd. 

140 


D(9tfnGUt5be&  /ll>en  an&  Momen 

"  Meantime  the  King  was  taken  with  all  speed  to 
the  royal  castle,  while  the  second  carriage  was  sent 
to  the  local  hospital  for  surgeons.  Before  these 
could  reach  the  castle  the  King  had  died. 

"  Upon  receiving  the  terrible  news  the  Archbishop 
of  Milan  hastened  to  Monza  and  solemnly  blessed  the 
corpse. 

"  Each  of  the  three  bullets  had  hit  the  King.  One 
struck  him  on  the  left  collarbone,  another  between 
the  fifth  and  sixth  ribs  on  the  right  side,  while 
the  one  that  inflicted  the  fatal  wound  entered  the 
heart. 

"  As  he  fell  the  King  said  to  his  aide :  '  It  is  noth- 
ing.' These  were  the  last  words  he  uttered,  and  he 
was  dead  when  the  carriage  arrived  at  the  palace. 

"  The  body  was  borne  tenderly  up  a  long  flight  of 
steps  and  carried  into  a  chamber  and  placed  on  a  bed. 
The  King's  eyes  were  open,  but  he  gave  no  sign  of 
life.  The  Queen  threw  herself  on  the  body  of  her 
husband,  alternately  calling  to  him  in  tones,  filled 
with  anguish,  and  praying  the  doctors  to  tell  her  the 
truth.  When  they  were  convinced  that  the  King 
was  dead  the  Queen  submitted  to  be  led  gently  away. 
The  surgeons  then  removed  the  King's  clothing  and 
examined  his  wounds.  The  Queen  afterward  re- 
turned and  kept  her  vigil  beside  the  body,  praying 
until  a  late  hour. 

"  Bystanders  say  the  assassin  rushed  through  the 
crowd  and  raised  the  revolver.  Several  attempted 
to  seize  the  weapon,  but  Bressi  fired  before  they  could 

141 


Xast  Timor&6  ot 

do  so.    He  was  captured  with  the  smoking  revolver 
still  in  his  hand,  and  exultingly  admitted  his  guilt." 

Carriere  Delia  Sera. 

Humboldt  (Friedrich  Heinrich  Alexander, 
Baron  von,  author  of  the  "  Cosmos"),  1769-1859. 
"  How  grand  the  sunlight!  It  seems  to  beckon  earth 
to  heaven." 

Hunt  (James  Henry  Leigh,  English  poet  and 
litterateur),  1784-1859.    "Deep  dream  of  peace." 

Hunter  (William,  a  young  man  of  nineteen, 
burned  at  the  stake  for  his  faith,  in  the  time  of  Mary 
I.,  of  England),  1536-1555.  "Lord,  Lord,  Lord, 
receive  my  spirit !  " 

"  William  said  to  his  mother: — '  For  my  little  pain 
which  I  shall  suffer,  which  is  but  a  short  braid, 
Christ  hath  promised  me,  mother  (said  he),  a  crown 
of  joy ;  may  you  not  be  glad  of  that,  mother?  '  With 
that  his  mother  kneeled  down  on  her  knees,  saying, 
*  I  pray  God  strengthen  thee,  my  son,  to  the  end  ;  yea, 
I  think  thee  as  well-bestowed  as  any  child  that  ever 
I  bare.' 

"  Then  William  Hunter  plucked  up  his  gown  and 
stepped  over  the  parlor  groundsel  and  went  forward 
cheerfully;  the  sheriff's  servants  taking  him  by  one 
arm  and  his  brother  by  another.  And  thus  going  in 
the  way,  he  met  with  his  father  according  to  his 
dream,  and  he  spake  to  his  son  saying,  '  God  be  with 
thee,  son  William ; '  and  William  said,  '  God  be  with 

142 


H)fstfnouisbe5  /IDen  an^  Momen 

you,  good  father,  and  be  of  good  comfort ;  for  I  hope 
we  shall  meet  again  when  we  shall  be  merry.'  His 
father  said,  '  I  hope  so,  William,'  and  so  departed. 
So  William  went  to  the  place  where  the  stake  stood, 
even  according  to  his  dream,  where  all  things  were 
very  unready.  Then  William  took  a  wet  broom  fag- 
got, and  kneeled  down  thereon,  and  read  the  fifty- 
first  Psalm  till  he  came  to  these  words,  '  The  sacrifice 
of  God  is  a  contrite  spirit;  a  contrite  and  a  broken 
heart,  O  God,  thou  wilt  not  despise ! ' 

"  Then  said  the  sheriff,  '  There  is  a  letter  from  the 
Queen,  If  thou  wilt  recant  thou  shalt  live;  if  not, 
thou  shalt  be  burned.'  '  No,'  quoth  William,  '  I  will 
not  recant,  God  willing.'  Then  William  rose  and 
went  to  the  stake,  and  stood  upright  to  it.  Then 
came  one  Richard  Ponde,  a  bailiff,  and  made  fast  the 
chain  about  William. 

"  Then  said  master  Brown,  '  There  is  not  wood 
enough  to  burn  a  leg  of  him.'  Then  said  William, 
'  Good  people !  pray  for  me,  and  make  speed  and 
despatch  quickly ;  and  pray  for  me  while  you  see  me 
alive,  good  people !  and  I  will  pray  for  you  likewise.' 
'Now?'  quoth  master  Brown,  'pray  for  thee!  I 
will  pray  no  more  for  thee  than  I  will  pray  for  a 
dog.' 

"  Then  was  there  a  gentleman  which  said,  *  I  pray 
God  have  mercy  upon  his  soul ! '  The  people  said, 
'  Amen,  amen.' 

"  Immediately  fire  was  made.  Then  William  cast 
his  psalter  right  into  his  brother's  hand,  who  said, 

143 


Xast  Morbs  of 

*  William !  think  of  the  holy  passion  of  Christ,  and 
be  not  afraid  of  death.'  And  William  answered,  '  I 
am  not  afraid.'  Then  lifted  he  up  his  hands  to  heaven 
and  said,  '  Lord,  Lord,  Lord,  receive  my  spirit,'  and, 
casting  down  his  head  again  into  the  smothering 
smoke,  he  yielded  up  his  life  for  the  truth,  sealing  it 
with  his  blood  to  the  praise  of  God." 

Fox's  "  Book  of  Martyrs." 

Hunter  (Dr.  William,  distinguished  anatomist 
and  physiologist.  He  is  chiefly  remembered  by  his 
"  Anatomy  of  the  Human  Gravid  Uterus,"  consist- 
ing of  thirty-four  plates  engraved  by  the  most  emi- 
nent artists  of  the  day,  with  explanations  in  English 
and  Latin),  1717-1783.  " //  /  had  strength  to  hold 
a  pen  I  ivould  write  down  hoiv  easy  and  pleasant  a 
thing  it  is  to  die." 

Huntington  (Selina,  Countess  of,  an  English 
lady,  eminent  for  her  piety  and  munificence),  1707- 
179 1.  ''  My  work  is  done;  I  have  nothing  to  do  but 
to  go  to  my  Father." 

Huss  (John,  burnt  at  the  stake  July  6,  1415), 
1 370- 141 5.  When  the  chain  was  placed  around  the 
neck  of  John  Huss  he  exclaimed  with  a  smile,  *'  Wel- 
come this  chain,  for  Christ's  sake!"  The  faggots 
having  been  piled  up  to  his  neck,  the  Duke  of  Ba- 
varia, in  a  brutal  manner,  called  on  him  to  recant. 
"  No"  cried  the  martyr,  "  I  take  God  to  witness  I 

144 


Dfstinguisbet)  /IDen  an&  Momen 

preached  none  hut  his  own  pure  doctrines,  and  what 
I  taught  I  am  ready  to  seal  zvith  my  blood" 

Ignatius  (surnamed  Theophorus,  early  Christian 
Father,  and  one  of  the  immediate  successors  of  the 
apostles), — 107,  "I  am  the  wheat  of  Christ;  I  am 
going  to  he  ground  with  the  teeth  of  wild  heasts,  that 
I  may  he  found  pure  hread."  These  words  he  is 
said  to  have  uttered  when  he  heard  the  roaring  of 
the  lions  that  were  to  devour  him. 

He  had  a  burning  desire  for  the  martyr's  crown, 
and  went  to  his  death  with  a  shout  of  triumph.  Of 
the  same  spirit  was  Germanicus,  who  actually  pro- 
voked the  wild  beasts  to  rush  upon  him,  that  he 
might  at  once  be  delivered  from  this  wretched  life 
and  receive  a  martyr's  reward. 

Ilitchewski  (Alexander  Demainowitch,  the 
Russian  poet).  "/  ha-ve  found  at  last  the  object  of 
my  love,"  a  line  written  by  the  poet  just  before  his 
death,  and  found  on  a  table  near  his  bed.  The  poet 
was  haunted  all  his  life  by  an  ideal  of  womanly 
beauty  which  he  sought  in  vain  among  the  living, 
and  the  above  line  would  seem  to  indicate  that  he  had 
at  last  found  the  object  of  his  dreams.  It  is  supy- 
posed  that  he  died  from  excess  of  joy  at  the  dis- 
covery. 

Illeppy  (Solyman,  the  Turkish  peasant  who  as- 
sassinated General  Kleber),  — 1800.  "  Tayhip!" 
(That  is  good). 

145 


ttast  Morbs  of 

The  assassin  suffered  death  by  having  the  flesh 
burned  off  his  right  hand,  and  by  being  impaled,  in 
which  situation  he  hved  one  hour  and  forty  minutes ; 
dying  without  showing  any  fear,  and  declaring  to 
the  last,  "  that  the  act  which  he  had  done  was  meri- 
torious, and  one  for  which  he  should  be  made  happy 
in  the  other  world."  He  continued  exclaiming,  from 
the  moment  of  his  hand  being  burnt,  to  that  of  his 
death,  "  Tay  hip!" — The  Percy  Anecdotes. 

Ingersoll  (Robert  Green,  an  American  lawyer 
and  orator,  distinguished  as  an  opponent  of  Chris- 
tianity), 1 833- 1 899.  "  O,  better,"  in  response  to  his 
wife's  question,  "  How  do  you  feel  now  ?  " 

After  the  war  he  became  an  ardent  Republican, 
and  gained  fame  as  a  lawyer,  serving  as  attorney- 
general  of  Illinois  for  several  years.  He  was  a  dele- 
gate to  the  National  Republican  convention  of  1876, 
when  he  became  famous  as  an  orator  by  proposing 
the  name  of  James  G.  Blaine  for  President  in  his  cele- 
brated "  Plumed  Knight  "  speech.  He  was  offered 
the  post  of  minister  to  Germany,  but  refused  it. 
About  the  year  1877  he  removed  to  New  York,  and 
was  soon  in  great  demand  as  a  lecturer  and  orator. 
Among  his  most  celebrated  cases  was  his  defense  of 
the  "  Star  route  conspirators  "  in  1883. 

Some  of  the  most  beautiful  of  Col.  Ingersoll's 
orations  were  those  that  he  delivered  over  the  bodies 
of  his  friends.  Among  his  best  known  books  are 
"  The  Gods,"  1878,  "  Ghosts,"  1879,  "  Some  Mis- 

146 


H>istfn9Ui6be&  /IDen  anb  Momen 

takes  of  Moses,"    1879,    and    several    volumes  of 
lectures. 

Irving  (Rev.  Edward,  an  able  and  eccentric 
preacher,  and  the  founder  of  the  "  Catholic  Apostolic 
Church"),  1792-1834.  "//  /  die,  I  die  unto  the 
Lord.  Amen."  Some  say  his  last  words  were: 
"  In  life  and  in  death,  I  am  the  Lord's." 

Irving  (Washington,  distinguished  American  au- 
thor), 1 783- 1 859.  "I  must  arrange  my  pillows  for 
another  weary  night,"  said  on  retiring.  A  moment 
later  he  tried  to  say  something  more  but  could  pro- 
nounce only  the  word  *'  end,"  after  which  he  uttered 
a  slight  cry  as  of  pain,  and  fell  to  the  floor.  When 
the  physician  arrived  life  was  extinct. 

It  was  on  November  28th,  1859,  when  Irving  was 
seventy-six  years  old,  that  his  death  came.  He  had 
been  in  poor  health  for  some  months,  suffering  much 
from  sleeplessness  and  a  shortness  of  breath,  but  at 
the  last  a  weakness  of  the  heart  brought  the  sudden 
end.  Lacking  to-day  a  man  of  letters  who  holds 
such  a  place  in  the  affections  of  his  countrymen  as 
Irving  held,  it  is  difficult  for  us  to  realise  the  im- 
pression made  by  his  death.  It  was  as  if  a  President 
or  a  great  soldier  had  died  in  these  later  years. 
Flags  on  shipping  and  buildings  in  New  York  flew 
at  half-mast,  and  the  Mayor  and  Council  recognised 
the  event  as  a  public  grief.  A  multitude  of  people 
bore  witness  to  their  own  sense  of  loss  at  the  Sleepy 
Hollow  Cemetery.    The  day  of  the  funeral,  Decem- 

147 


Xast  Mor&s  ot 

ber  1st,  had  the  fullest  beauty  and  suggestion  of 
Indian  summer — "  one  of  his  own  days,"  the  people 
said.    It  is  to  Longfellow, 

"  No  singer  vast   of  voice ;  yet  one   who  leaves 
His  native  air  the  sweeter  for  his  song," 

that  we  instinctively  turn  for  the  words : 

IN  THE  CHURCHYARD  AT  TARRYTOWN. 

Here  lies  the  gentle  humorist,  who  died 
In  the  bright  Indian  summer  of  his  fame! 
A  simple  stone,  with  but  a  date  and  name, 
Marks  his  secluded  resting-place  beside 

The  river  that  he  loved  and  glorified. 

Here  in  the  autumn  of  his  days  he  came. 
But  the  dry  leaves  of  life  were  all  aflame 
With  tints  that  brightened  and  were  multiplied. 

How  sweet  a  life  was  his ;  how  sweet  a  death ! 
Living,  to  wing  with  mirth  the  weary  hours. 
Or  with  romantic  tales  the  heart  to  cheer; 

Dying,  to  leave  a  memory  like  the  breath 
Of  summers  full  of  sunshine  and  of  showers, 
A  grief  and  gladness  in  the  atmosphere. 

Isaiah  (spelled  in  the  New  Testament  Esaias 
which  means  "  salvation  of  Jehovah."  He  is  the 
greatest  of  the  Hebrew  Prophets,  and  his  poetical 
genius  is  ranked  with  that  of  Homer),  b.  c.  765- 
660.  "  Go  ye  to  the  coimtry  of  Tyre  and  Sidon, 
for  the  Lord  hath  mixed  the  cup  for  me  alone." 

There  is  a  tradition  that  the  prophet  Isaiah  suf- 
fered martyrdom  by  a  saw.  The  ancient  book  en- 
titled, "  The  Ascension  of  Isaiah  the  Prophet," 
accords  with  the  tradition.  It  says :  "  Then  they 
seized  Isaiah  the  son  of  Amos  and  sawed  him  with 

148 


2)fstfnguf9f)e^  /ll>en  an&  Momen 

a  wooden  saw.  And  Manasseh,  Melakira,  the  false 
prophets,  the  princes  and  the  people,  all  stood  look- 
ing on.  But  he  said  to  the  prophets  who  were  with 
him  before  he  was  sawn,  *  Go  ye  to  the  country  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon,  for  the  Lord  hath  mixed  the  cup 
for  me  alone.'  Neither  while  they  were  sawing  him 
did  he  cry  out  nor  weep,  but  he  continued  address- 
ing himself  to  the  Holy  Spirit  until  he  was  sawn 
asunder." 

Jackson  (Thomas  Jonathan,  "  Stonewall  Jack- 
son," distinguished  Confederate  general),  1824- 
1863.  "  Let  us  go  over  the  river,  and  sit  under  the 
refreshing  shadow  of  the  trees." 

He  was  accidentally  shot  and  mortally  wounded 
by  his  own  soldiers,  in  the  darkness  of  night.  His 
last  words  were  spoken  in  delirium. 

James  II.  (of  England),  1633-1701.  "Grateful 
— in  peace! "  Louis  XIV.  visited  James  II.  when 
the  latter  was  upon  his  death-bed,  and  moved,  no 
doubt,  by  pity,  said  to  him  in  the  presence  of  cour- 
tiers who  ill  concealed  their  surprise :  "  I  come  to 
tell  Your  Majesty,  that  whenever  it  shall  please 
God  to  take  you  from  us,  I  will  be  to  your  son 
what  I  have  been  to  you,  and  will  acknowledge  him 
as  King  of  England,  Scotland  and  Ireland."  James 
was  so  near  death  that  he  was  hardly  sensible  of 
what  was  said  to  him,  but  it  was  thought  he  mur- 
mured with  much  that  was  irrelevant  the  words, 
"  Grateful — in  peace !  " 

149 


Xast  Morbs  ot 

The  final  disposition  of  the  remains  of  James  II. 
is  involved  in  some  uncertainty.  Stanley  in  His- 
torical Memorials  of  Westminster  Abbey  says: 
"  The  body  had  been  placed  in  the  Chapel  of  the 
English  Benedictines  at  Paris,  and  deposited  there 
in  the  vain  hope  that,  at  some  future  time,  they 
would  be  laid  with  kingly  pomp  at  Westminster 
among  the  graves  of  the  Plantagenets  and  Tudors." 
Clarke,  in  his  Life  of  James  II.  says  that  at  his 
burial  the  rites  of  the  Church  of  England  were  not 
used,  but  this  is  contradicted  by  the  account  pre- 
served in  Herald's  College.  The  King's  brains,  it 
is  said,  were  deposited  in  an  urn  of  bronze-gilt  stand- 
ing upon  the  monument  raised  to  him  in  the  Chapel 
of  the  Scotch  College  in  the  Rue  des  Fosses  Saint 
Victor.  This,  according  to  a  correspondent  of  the 
Notes  and  Queries,  Vol.  ii,  p.  281,  was  "smashed, 
and  the  contents  scattered  about  during  the  French 
Revolution."  Pettigrew,  in  his  Chronicles  of  the 
Tombs,  says :  "  It  is  conjectured  that  portions  of 
the  King's  body  were  collected  together,  and  en- 
tombed at  St.  Germain  en  Laye,  soon  after  the 
termination  of  the  war  in  18 14;  but  it  being  neces- 
sary to  rebuild  the  church,  the  remains  were  ex- 
humed and  re-interred  in  1824." 

The  following  curious  account  was  given  in  1840 
by  Mr.  Fitzsimmons,  an  Irish  gentleman  upward 
of  eighty  years  of  age,  who  taught  French  and  Eng- 
lish at  Toulouse  and  claimed  to  be  a  runaway  monk : 

"  I  was  a  prisoner  in  Paris,  in  the  convent  of  the 

150 


2)i0tinoufsbet>  /iDen  ant>  Momen 

English  Benedictines  in  the  Rue  St.  Jacques,  during 
part  of  the  Revohition.  In  the  year  1793  or  1794, 
the  body  of  King  James  II.  of  England  (died  1701) 
was  in  one  of  the  chapels  there,  where  it  had  been 
deposited  some  time,  under  the  expectation  that  it 
would  one  day  be  sent  to  England  for  interment 
in  Westminster  Abbey.  It  had  never  been  buried. 
The  body  was  in  a  wooden  coffin,  inclosed  in  a 
leaden  one;  and  that  again  inclosed  in  a  second 
wooden  one,  covered  with  black  velvet.  While  I 
was  a  prisoner  the  sans-culottes  broke  open  the 
coffins  to  get  at  the  lead  to  cast  into  bullets.  The 
body  lay  exposed  nearly  a  whole  day.  It  was 
swaddled  like  a  mummy,  bound  tight  with  garters. 
The  sans-culottes  took  out  the  body,  which  had 
been  embalmed.  There  was  a  strong  smell  of  vine- 
gar and  camphor.  The  corpse  was  beautiful  and 
perfect.  The  hands  and  nails  were  very  fine.  I 
moved  and  bent  every  finger.  I  never  saw  so  fine  a 
set  of  teeth  in  my  life.  A  young  lady,  a  fellow 
prisoner,  wished  much  to  have  a  tooth;  I  tried  to 
get  one  out  for  her,  but  could  not,  they  were  so 
firmly  fixed.  The  feet  also  were  very  beautiful. 
The  face  and  cheeks  were  just  as  if  he  were  alive. 
I  rolled  his  eyes;  the  eye-balls  were  perfectly  firm 
under  my  finger.  The  French  and  English  prisoners 
gave  money  to  the  sans-culottes  for  showing  the 
body.  The  trouserless  crowd  said  he  was  a  good 
sans-culotte,  and  they  were  going  to  put  him  into  a 
hole  in  the  public  churchyard  like  other  sans-culottes ; 


Xast  "Mov^s  of 

an3  he  was  carried  away,  but  where  the  body  was 
thrown  I  never  heard.  King  George  IV.  tried  all 
in  his  power  to  get  tidings  of  the  body,  but  could 
not.  Around  the  chapel  were  several  wax  moulds 
of  the  face  hung  up,  made  probably  at  the  time  of 
the  king's  death,  and  the  face  of  the  corpse  was 
very  like  them.  The  body  had  been  originally  kept 
at  the  palace  of  St.  Germain,  from  whence  it  was 
brought  to  the  convent  of  the  Benedictines." 

James  V.  (of  Scotland),  15 12- 1542.  *' It  came 
zvith  a  lass,  and  it  zvill  ga  with  a  lass."  He  referred 
to  the  Scotch  crown. 

Jefferson  (Thomas,  third  President  of  the 
United  States),  1743- 1826.  "/  resign  my  spirit  to 
God,  my  daughter  to  my  country." 

His  death  was  very  remarkable:  it  occurred  on 
July  4,  1826,  while  the  nation  was  celebrating  the 
fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence, which  he  had  written.  On  the  same  day, 
and  almost  at  the  same  hour,  John  Adams,  the 
second  President,  who  had  signed  with  him  the 
Declaration,  died  in  New  England. 

Jerome  (of  Prague,  the  companion  of  John 
Huss,  was  born  at  Prague  in  the  latter  half  of  the 
fourteenth  century,  and  suffered  at  the  stake,  May 
30,  1416).  '"Bring  thy  torch  hither;  do  thine  office 
before  my  face;  Jiad  I  feared  death  I  might  have 
avoided  it."    These  brave  words  were  addressed  to 

152 


Dlstinaufsbet)  /IDen  an^  Momen 

the  executioner  who  was  about  to  kindle  the  fire 
behind  him.  Some  give  his  last  words  thus :  "  This 
soul  in  flames  I  offer,  Christ,  to  thee." 

Jewell  or  Jewel  (John,  Bishop  of  Salisbury), 
1 522- 1 57 1.    "  This  day  let  me  see  the  Lord  Jesus." 

Joan  of  Arc  (Jeanne  d'Arc,  surnamed  "  the 
Maid  of  Orleans,"  burned  at  the  stake  May  31, 
143 1,  in  the  twenty-first  year  of  her  age.  "The 
Virgin-Martyr  of  French  Liberty"),  1410-1431. 
"Jesus!     Jesus!" 

She  died  declaring  that  her  "  voices  "  had  not  de- 
ceived her,  and  with  the  name  of  Jesus  on  her  lips. 

Johnson  (Dr.  Samuel,  "  Colossus  of  English 
literature"),  1709- 1784.  "God  bless  you,  my 
dear!  "  to  Miss  Morris. 

Joseph  II.  (of  Germany),  1741-1790.    " Let  my 

epitaph  he,  Here  lies  Joseph,  zvho  was  unsuccess- 
ful in  all  his  undertakings." 

Josephine  (Marie  Joseph  Rose  Tascher  de  la 
Pagerie,  wife  of  Napoleon  I.  of  France),  1763- 
18 14.     "Napoleon!    Elba!    Marie  Louise!" 

JuDSON  (Adoniram,  missionary  to  Burmah  and 
translator  of  the  Bible  into  the  language  of  that 
country),  1788-1850.  "Brother  Ranney,  will  you 
bury  me?  bury  me? — quick!  quick!"  These  words 
were  prompted  perhaps  by  the  thought  of  burial  at 

153 


Xast  mov^5  ot 

sea.    A  moment  later  he  said  to  his  servant,  "  Take 
care  of  poor  mistress,"  meaning  Mrs.  Judson. 

JuDSON  (Mrs.  Ann  Hasseltine,  wife  of  Adoniram 
Judson,  and  with  him  a  missionary  in  Burmah), 
1 789- 1 826.    "  /  feel  quite  well,  only  very  weak." 

JuGURTHA  (an  African  prince  carried  in  chains 
to  Rome  where  he  was  cast  into  the  Mamertine 
prison  and  starved  to  death).  "  Heracles,  hoiv  cold 
your  bath  is! "  Jugurtha  referred  to  the  cold  and 
dark  prison  into  which  he  was  plunged  as  into  an  icy 
bath.  "  Heracles  "  is  the  ordinary  Greek  interjec- 
tion, and  is  not  here  an  address  to  a  god.  Long- 
fellow in  his  little  poem  "  Jugurtha,"  has  substituted, 
it  is  hard  to  say  by  what  authority,  the  name  of 
Apollo  for  that  of  Heracles : 

How  cold  are  thy  baths,  Apollo ! 

Cried  the  African  monarch,  the  splendid, 

As  down  to  his  death  in  the  hollow 
Dark  dungeons  of  Rome  he  descended. 
Uncrowned,   unthroned,  unattended; 

How  cold  are  thy  baths,  Apollo ! 

How  cold  are  thy  baths,  Apollo ! 

Cried  the  Poet,  unknown,  unbefriended, 

As  the  vision,  that  lured  him  to  follow, 
With  the  mist  and  the  darkness  blended, 
And  the  dream  of  his  life  was  ended; 

How  cold  are  thy  baths,  Apollo ! — Longfellow. 

The  Jugurthine  war,  which  was  terminated  b.  c. 
106,  is  the  subject  of  one  of  the  histories  of  Sallust. 

154 


DistinguisbeD  /IDen  anD  Momen 

Julian  (Julianus  Flavius  Claudius,  surnamed 
"  The  Apostate,"  on  account  of  his  renunciation  of 
Christianity.  He  was  Roman  emperor  from  361 
to  363),  331-363.  "  Thou  hast  conquered,  O  Gali- 
lean! thou  hast  conquered! "  Some  authorities  give 
his  last  words  thus:  "  Sun,  thou  hast  betrayed  me! " 
Julian  was  a  worshipper  of  the  sun. 

And  Julian  being  carried  to  his  tent,  he  took  a 
handful  of  the  blood  which  flowed  from  his  wound, 
and  flung  it  into  the  air,  exclaiming  with  his  last 
breath,  "  Thou  hast  conquered,  O  Galilean !  thou 
hast  conquered ! "  Then  the  demons  received  his 
parting  spirit. — Mrs.  Jameson. 

The  historian,  Ammianus  Marcellinus,  who  was 
in  the  army  of  Julian,  states  that  when  he  was 
wounded  his  admirers  compared  the  scene  that  fol- 
lowed in  his  tent  to  that  which  Plato  has  drawn  in 
the  prison  of  Socrates;  not  without  the  confession 
that  it  was  an  affected  imitation.  This  testimony 
is  preferable  to  the  imaginary  pictures  of  Christian 
orators  of  the  apostate  clutching  the  sand  and  cry- 
ing, "  O  Galilean,  thou  hast  conquered!  "  The  real 
triumph  of  Christianity  needs  no  such  melodramatic 
inventions  conceived  in  the  spirit  of  an  age  of  ornate 
rhetoric. — Smith's  "  Universal  History,  Hi,  717/' 

Kalakaua  (David,  King  of  the  Hawaiian 
Islands),  1836-1892.  The  monarch  was  unconscious 
of  what  was  going  on  around  him,  and  seemed  to 
be  dreaming  of  his  early  days.  Colonel  Baker  heard 

155 


Xast  1KIlor&8  of 

him  murmur  something  and  leaning  over  the  bed- 
side could  make  out  that  he  was  speaking  to  him- 
self in  his  native  tongue  of  the  oceans  and  moun- 
tains and  natural  scenery  of  Hawaii. 

He  died  at  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  while  on  a  visit 
to  the  United  States. 

Kant  (Immanuel,  one  of  the  greatest  of  German 
metaphysicians,  founder  of  the  Critical  or  Trans- 
cendental school  of  philosophy),  1 724- 1 804.  "  Es!^ 
ist  gut,"  said  as  he  declined  a  refreshing  draught, 
offered  him  by  one  who  thought  he  was  suffering 
from  thirst. 

Keats  (John),  1 796-1 821.  "/  feel  the  Howers 
growing  over  me."  Some  say  his  last  words  were: 
"  I  die  of  a  broken  heart." 

The  severity  of  an  article  written  by  Gifford  in 
review  of  "  Endymion  "  in  the  Quarterly  Review 
affected  the  young  poet  very  deeply,  and  is  even  said 
to  have  occasioned  the  consumption  from  which  he 
died  at  Rome  where  he  had  but  just  completed  his 
twenty-fourth  year. 

Over  the  grave  of  Keats  in  the  Old  Protestant 
cemetery  at  Rome  is  the  inscription :  "  This  grave 
contains  all  that  was  mortal  of  a  young  English 
poet,  who,  on  his  death-bed,  in  the  bitterness  of  his 
heart  at  the  malicious  power  of  his  enemies,  desired 
these  words  to  be  engraved  on  his  tombstone :  '  Here 
lies  one  whose  name  was  writ  in  water.'  February 
24,  1821." 

156 


S)f5tinautsbe&  /TOen  an&  Momen 

In  the  "  Letters  and  Memorials  of  Archbishop 
Trench,"  occurs  the  following  distressing  letter  on 
the  last  days  of  Keats,  addressed  to  Trench  by  a 
friend  in  Rome: 

"  I  have  made  Severn's  acquaintance.  He  is  a 
very  fine  fellow,  and  I  like  him  amazingly.  My 
only  introduction  to  him  was  our  common  admira- 
tion of  Keats,  whose  memory  he  cherishes  most 
affectionately,  and  of  whom  he  is  never  tired  of 
speaking  when  he  finds  one  who  listens  with  glad- 
ness. I  sat  in  his  studio  for  hours  while  he  painted 
a  design  which  Keats  suggested  to  him,  and  all  the 
while  he  was  telling  me  particulars  of  his  last  days. 
His  sufferings  were  terrible  and  prolonged.  Shelley 
and  Hunt  had  deprived  him  of  his  belief  in  Christi- 
anity, which  he  wanted  in  the  end,  and  he  en- 
deavored to  fight  back  to  it,  saying  if  Severn  would 
get  him  a  Jeremy  Taylor  he  thought  he  could  believe ; 
but  it  was  not  to  be  found  in  Rome.  Another  time 
(which  is  to  me  peculiarly  painful,  though  it  shows 
at  the  same  time  how  little  way  he  had  proceeded 
in  a  particular  line  of  thought),  having  been  be- 
trayed into  considerable  impatience  by  bodily  and 
mental  anguish,  he  cried,  on  recovering  himself, 
*  By  God,  Severn,  a  man  ought  to  have  some  super- 
stition, that  he  may  die  decently.'  " 

Ken  (Thomas,  Bishop  of  Bath  and  Wells,  author 
of  several  volumes  of  sermons  and  of  some  very 
beautiful  hymns,  among  which  is  the  famous  Doxo- 

^57 


Xast  *omor&s  of 

logy,  "  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow  " 
— the  Protestant  "  Te  Deum  laudamus"),  1637- 
171 1.     "God's  will  be  done." 

Bishop  Ken  was  one  of  the  seven  bishops  com- 
mitted to  the  Tower  for  disobedience  by  James  II., 
but  proved  his  loyalty  by  refusing  to  take  the  oaths 
to  William  and  Mary,  and  was  therefore  deprived  of 
his  bishopric.  He  was  a  man  of  devoted  piety, 
expansive  benevolence,  and  great  tenderness  of 
spirit. — Allihone. 

King  (Thomas  Star,  Unitarian  clergyman), 
1 824- 1 864.  "Dear  little  fellow — he  is  a  beautiful 
boy."  This  he  said  of  his  little  son  who  had  been 
brought  in  to  see  him. 

KiNGSLEY  (Charles,  clergyman,  novelist,  and 
poet),  1819-1875.  "Thou  knowest,  O  Lord,  the 
secrets  of  our  hearts;  shut  not  Thy  merciful  ears  to 
our  prayer,  but  spare  us,  O  Lord  most  holy,  0  God 
most  mighty,  0  holy  and  merciful  Saviour,  Thou 
most  worthy  Judge  Etertml,  suffer  us  not  at  our 
last  hour,  from  any  pains  of  death,  to  fall  from 
Thee." — Episcopal  "  Burial  Service." 

In  the  night  he  was  heard  murmuring,  "  No  more 
fighting :  no  more  fighting."  Then  followed  intense 
earnest  prayers,  which  were  his  habit  when  alone. 
His  warfare  was  accomplished;  he  had  fought  the 
good  fight;  and,  on  one  of  his  last  nights  on  earth, 
his  daughter  heard  him  exclaim,  "  How  beautiful 
God  is !  "     The  last  morning,  at  five  o'clock,  just 

158 


2)istfnoufsbe^  /iDen  an^  TKIlomen 

after  his  eldest  daughter  and  his  physician,  who  had 
sat  up  all  night,  had  left  him,  and  he  thought  him- 
self alone,  he  was  heard,  in  a  clear  voice,  repeating 
the  Burial  Service.  He  turned  on  his  side  after  this, 
and  never  spoke  again. 

"  Letters  and  Memoirs  of  Charles  Kingsley,"  by 
his  wife. 

Klopstock  (Friedrich  Gottlieb),  1724- 1803. 
He  died  reciting  his  own  beautiful  verses,  descrip- 
tive of  the  death  of  Mary,  the  sister  of  Lazarus.  The 
Song  of  Mary  was  sung  at  the  public  funeral  of  the 
poet. 

Knox  (John,  Scotch  reformer),  1505- 1572. 
"  Now  it  is  come."  Some  give  his  last  words  thus  : 
"  Live  in  Christ,  live  in  Christ,  and  the  flesh  need 
not  fear  death." 

Labedoyere  (Charles  Angelique  Huchet  de, 
Count  and  French  general  "  noted  for  graceful  man- 
ners and  chivalrous  spirit."  He  was  charged  with 
treason,  rebellion  and  military  seduction,  and  was 
executed  as  one  of  the  "  authors  and  instigators  of 
the  horrible  plot  which  had  brought  back  Buona- 
parte "),  1786-1815.    "■  Above  all  do  not  miss  me!  " 

At  half  past  six  in  the  evening  Labedoyere  was 
escorted  to  the  plain  of  Crenelle  by  a  strong  detach- 
ment of  gen  d'armerie.  On  arriving  at  the  place  of 
execution,  he  knelt  down  and  received  the  benedic- 
tion of  the  confessor  who  accompanied  him.     He 

159 


Xast  Mor&s  of 

then  rose,  and,  without  waiting  for  his  eyes  to  be 
bandaged,  uncovered  his  breast  to  the  veterans  who 
were  to  shoot  him,  and  exclaimed,  "  Above  all  do 
not  miss  me !  "  In  a  moment  after  he  was  no 
more. 

Christopher  Kelly:  "  The  Battle  of  Waterloo." 

Lacordaire  (Jean  Baptiste  Henri,  French  eccle- 
siastic celebrated  for  his  funeral  orations),  1802- 
1861.  "Open  to  me,  O  God!" 

La  Harpe  or  Laharpe  de  (Jean  Frangois, 
French  critic  and  dramatist),  1739-1803.  "I  am 
grateful  to  Divine  Mercy  for  having  left  me  suf- 
ficient recollection  to  feel  how  consoling  these 
prayers  are  to  the  dying."  These  are  his  last  re- 
corded words,  and  refer  to  the  prayers  for  the  sick 
to  which  he  was  attending,  but  later  he  conversed 
with  M.  Fontanes,  and  did  not  die  until  the  next 
day. 

Lambert  (John,  English  teacher  of  languages 
who  suffered  as  a  martyr.  His  true  name  was 
Nicholson,  but  he  changed  it  for  greater  safety  in 
time  of  persecution), — 1538.  "None  hut  Christ! 
none  hut  Christ! " 

After  his  legs  were  consumed  to  the  stumps,  two 
inhuman  monsters  who  stood  on  each  side  of  him 
pierced  him  with  their  halberds,  and  lifted  him  up 
as  far  as  the  chain  which  fastened  him  to  the  stake 
would  reach,   while  he  raised  his  half  consumed 

160 


H)fstinGVU5be&  /IDeu  aiiD  Moincn 

hands  dripping  with  blood  and  fire,  and  said,  "  None 
but  Christ !  none  but  Christ !  " 

Latimer  (Hugh,  early  English  reformer  and 
martyr),  about  1472- 1555. 

"  Be  of  good  comfort,  Master  Ridley,  and  play 
the  man;  we  shall  this  day  light  such  a  candle  by 
God's  grace,  in  England,  as  I  trust  shall  never  be 
put  out." 

Latimer  and  Ridley  suffered  martyrdom  at  Ox- 
ford at  the  same  time,  October  16,  1555. 

Laud  (William,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and 
favorite  minister  of  Charles  L),  1 573-1645.  "  Lord, 
receive  my  soul,"  spoken  to  the  headsman  as  a  signal 
to  strike.  According  to  some  authorities  his  last 
words  were :  "  I  am  coming,  O !  Lord,  as  quickly  as 
I  can.  I  know  I  must  pass  through  death  before 
I  can  come  to  Thee,  but  it  is  only  a  mere  shadow — 
a  little  darkness  upon  nature.  Thou  hast  broken 
the  jaws  of  death." 

Laud  was  declared  guilty  of  treason,  and  executed 
on  Tower  Hill,  January  10,  1645. 

Laurentius  ("  Saint,"  a  deacon  of  Rome  who 
was  roasted  alive  on  a  gridiron  before  a  slow  fire), 
about  a.  d.  258.  "  Assatus  est;  jam  versa  et  man- 
duca  "  {1  am  roasted, — now  turn  me,  and  eat  me. ) 
According  to  some  authorities  he  said  later :  "  I 
thank  thee,  O  my  God  and  Saviour,  that  I  have  been 
found  worthy  to  enter  into  thy  beatitude." 

161 


Xast  mot^s  (St 

Lee  (Robert  Edmund,  distinguished  Confederate 
general,  and  President  of  Washington  College,  at 
Lexington,  Virginia),  1806- 1870.  "  Tell  Hill  he 
must  come  up."  During  his  last  hours  his  mind 
wandered,  and  he  was  living  over  again  in  his  dis- 
ordered imagination  the  military  campaign  through 
which  he  had  passed. 

His  body  lies  in  the  mausoleum  erected  at  the 
rear  of  the  College  chapel,  and  beside  him  are  laid 
his  wife  and  his  daughter  Agnes.  Above  the  tomb, 
and  visible  from  the  chapel  hall,  is  Valentine's  re- 
cumbent marble  figure  of  Lee  the  soldier  taking  his 
rest,  with  his  sword  sheathed  at  his  side  and  his 
martial  cloak  around  him. — White. 

Leo  X.  (Cardinal  Giovanni  de'  Medici,  elected 
Pope  March  11,  15 13),  1 475-1 521.  "I  have  been 
murdered;  no  remedy  can  prevent  my  speedy  death." 
It  is  believed  that  he  was  poisoned. 

The  circumstances  attending  the  death  of  the 
pontiff  are  involved  in  mysterious  and  total  ob- 
scurity, and  the  accounts  given  of  this  event  by 
Varillas  and  similar  writers  in  subsequent  times,  are 
the  spurious  offspring  of  their  own  imagination. 
Roscoe  "  Life  of  Leo  the  Tenth." 

Leo  X.  expired  upon  the  ist  day  of  December, 
1 52 1.  The  vacillating  game  he  played  in  European 
politics  had  just  been  crowned  with  momentary  suc- 
cess. Some  folk  believed  that  the  Pope  died  of  joy 
after  hearing  that  his  Imperial  allies  had  entered  the 

162 


S)i3ttnouisbe^  /IDen  m\b  Moinen 

town  of  Milan;  others  thought  that  he  succumbed 
to  poison.  We  do  not  know  what  caused  his  death. 
But  the  unsoundness  of  his  constitution,  overtaxed 
by  dissipation  and  generous  Hving,  in  the  midst  of 
pubHc  cares  for  which  the  man  had  hardly  nerve 
enough,  may  suffice  to  account  for  a  decease  cer- 
tainly sudden  and  premature. 

Symond:  "  Life  of  Michelangelo  Buonarotti." 

LiEBER  (Francis,  German  author,  political  refu- 
gee, and,  later,  Professor  of  History  and  Political 
Science  in  Columbia  College,  New  York),  1800- 
1872. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  26.  of  October,  1872,  he 
was  sitting  quietly,  listening  to  his  wife,  who  was 
reading  aloud  to  him  as  was  her  custom,  when  he 
gave  one  cry  and  immediately  died.  * 

Perry's  "  Life  and  Letters  of  Lieher." 

LiNDSEY  (Theophilus,  English  Unitarian  clergy- 
man), 1 723-1808.  "No,  whatever  is,  is  best," — 
said  to  a  friend  who  suggested  that  his  fortitude 
sprang  from  his  recollection  of  the  maxim,  "  What- 
ever is,  is  right." 

LiGNE  (Charles  Joseph,  Prince  de,  "The  Friend 
of  Kings,"  author  of  "  Commentaries  on  the  Art  of 


'  It  has  been  thought  that  Lieber's  death  was  occasioned 
by  rupture  of  the  heart.  See  the  last  words  of  Charles 
Sumner  and  the  foot  note  on  his  sudden  death.  See  also  the 
last  words  of  John  Palmer  and  the  account  of  his  death 
appended  from  the  Annual  Register. 

163 


%a3t  Mor&s  ot 

War."  He  was  a  brave  and  good  soldier,  but  a 
great  beau  and  dandy),  1734-18 14.  "  Back,  thou  ac- 
cursed phantom!  "  As  he  felt  the  approach  of  death 
he  sprang  from  a  recumbent  to  a  sitting  posture, 
and  ordered  the  door  to  be  closed;  but  finding  that 
he  could  not  prevent  the  last  great  enemy  from 
entering,  he  gave  the  phantom  battle;  and  in  the 
midst  of  the  conflict  he  threw  up  his  arms  and  cried, 
"  Back  thou  accursed  phantom!  "  In  a  moment  he 
was  dead. 

At  seventy-two  he  was  still  a  fop  and  still  a 
gallant.  "  His  delicately  malicious  and  gayly  ironic 
wit,"  wrote  Count  OuvarofY,  who  knew  him  only  in 
old  age,  "  was  allied  with  a  sweetness  of  char- 
acter and  an  equality  of  temper  that  were  unparal- 
leled." Gravity  only  was  distasteful  to  him,  and 
he  would  always  turn  the  conversation  with  a  word 
or  a  nod  from  too  serious  a  topic,  Plis  pride  was 
flattered  by  the  eagerness  wherewith  the  curious 
pointed  their  finger  at  him  in  the  street,  and  he  was 
yet  anxious  to  attract  the  attention  which  was  his 
due.  He  would  walk  abroad  in  the  Field  Marshal's 
cloak,  which  became  his  youthful  figure,  or,  still 
more  splendid,  he  would  drive  in  his  gray  coach, 
whose  white  horses  were  the  wonder  of  all  Vienna. 
His  happiness  had  suffered  no  eclipse;  his  talk  was 
as  marvelous  as  when  he  astonished  the  Court  of 
Versailles,  and  not  even  his  wrinkles  obscured  the 
dazzle  of  his  smile.  The  best  of  life  had  been  his, 
and  he  waited  the  end  in  placid  content,  and  it  is 

164 


2)istinguisbet)  /IDen  an&  Momen 

in  his  triumph  in  Vienna,  rather  than  in  his  cum- 
brous books,  that  you  catch  the  last  glimpse  of  the 
Prince  de  Ligne." 

Charles  Whihley:  "  The  Pageantry  of  Life." 

LiPPARD  (George,  American  author),  1822- 1854. 
"Is  this  death?"  to  his  physician, 

Lippard  wrote  a  number  of  sensational  novels, 
and  a  book  on  "  Washington  and  his  Generals."  He 
was  the  founder  of  the  once  strong  and  useful 
Brotherhood  of  the  Union,  a  secret  charitable  insti- 
tution. 

Lisle  (Sir  George,  English  royalist  officer,  taken 
prisoner  at  Colchester,  where  he  was  put  to  death 
August  29th,  1648), — 1648.  "I  have  been  nearer 
to  you  when  you  have  missed  me,"  said  to  a  soldier 
of  the  squad  appointed  to  shoot  him,  and  who  had, 
to  Sir  George  Lisle's  request  that  he  would  not  miss 
or  merely  wound  him,  replied,  "  I'll  warrant,  sir, 
we  will  hit  you."  Lisle  thought  the  distance  be- 
tween himself  and  the  firing  party  was  too  great  and 
he  wished  the  soldiers  to  come  nearer  to  him. 

Fairfax  sullied  his  victory  by  an  act  of  great 
cruelty.  In  a  council  of  war,  it  was  resolved  that 
Sir  Charles  Lucas,  Sir  George  Lisle,  and  Sir  Bernard 
Gascoign,  the  governors  of  Colchester,  should  be 
put  to  death :  but  the  life  of  Gascoign  was  spared, 
on  account  of  his  being  a  foreigner.  When  the  other 
two  were  brought  out  to  be  shot,  Lucas  gave  the 
word  to  fire,  as  if  he  had  been  at  the  head  of  his 

165 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

own  company.  Lisle  kissed  him  eagerly  after  he 
was  dead;  and  desired  the  executioners  to  come 
nearer. — The  Percy  Anecdotes. 

Livingstone  (David,  distinguished  missionary, 
traveler  and  discoverer),  i8i 3-1873.  His  last 
words,  which  are  not  recorded,  were  about  Chil- 
anebo's  village,  in  Ilala,  and  the  neighboring  coun- 
try, and  especially  about  the  Luapula.  His  mind 
wandered,  and  the  questions  were  often  disconnected 
and  indistinct,  but  his  last  thoughts  were  of  Africa. 
His  attendants  constructed  for  him  a  rude  hut,  and 
when  it  was  completed  they  took  him  into  it  and 
laid  him  upon  a  rough  bed — the  best  they  could  pro- 
cure. He  spoke  only  once  or  twice  during  the  night. 
Next  day  he  lay  undisturbed.  He  asked  a  few 
wandering  questions  about  the  country — especially 
about  the  Luapula.  His  people  knew  that  the  end 
could  not  be  far  off.  Nothing  occurred  to  attract 
notice  during  the  early  part  of  the  night,  but  at  four 
in  the  morning,  the  boy  who  lay  at  his  door  called 
in  alarm  for  Susi,  fearing  that  their  master  was 
dead.  By  the  candle  still  burning  they  saw  him, 
not  in  bed,  but  kneeling  at  the  bedside  with  his  head 
buried  in  his  hands  upon  the  pillow.  The  sad  yet 
not  unexpected  truth  soon  became  evident:  he  had 
passed  away  on  the  furthest  of  all  his  journeys,  and 
without  a  single  attendant.  But  he  had  died  in  the 
act  of  prayer — prayer  offered  in  that  reverential  atti- 
tude about  which  he  was  always  so  particular;  com- 

166 


H)tstln(}ui5be^  /IDcn  an&  Momen 

mending  his  own  spirit,  with  all  his  dear  ones,  as 
was  his  wont,  into  the  hands  of  his  Saviour;  and 
commending  Africa — his  own  dear  Africa — with 
all  her  woes  and  sins  and  wrongs,  to  the  Avenger 
of  the  oppressed  and  the  Redeemer  of  the  lost. 

So  soon  as  the  death  of  Livingstone  was  known 
to  his  men,  they  resolved  to  carry  their  master's  re- 
mains to  Zanzibar.  Arrangements  were  made  for 
drying  and  embalming  the  body,  after  removing  the 
heart  and  other  viscera.  For  fourteen  days  the  body 
was  dried  in  the  sun.  After  being  wrapped  in  calico, 
and  the  legs  bent  inward  at  the  knees,  it  was  enclosed 
in  a  large  piece  of  bark  from  a  Myonga  tree  in  the 
form  of  a  cylinder;  over  this  a  piece  of  sail-cloth 
was  sewed;  and  the  package  was  lashed  to  a  pole, 
so  as  to  be  carried  by  two  men.  Jacob  Wainwright 
carved  an  inscription  on  the  Moula  tree  under  which 
the  body  had  rested,  and  where  the  heart  was  buried, 
and  Chitambo  was  charged  to  keep  the  grass  cleared 
away,  and  to  protect  two  posts  and  a  cross-piece 
which  they  erected  to  mark  the  spot. 

The  remains  were  brought  to  Aden  on  board  the 
"  Calcutta,"  and  thereafter  transferred  to  the 
steamer  "  Malwa,"  which  arrived  at  Southamp- 
ton on  the  15th  of  April.  Mr.  Thomas  Livingstone, 
eldest  surviving  son  of  the  Doctor,  being  then  in 
Egypt  on  account  of  his  health,  had  gone  on  board 
at  Alexandria.  The  body  was  conveyed  to  London 
by  special  train  and  deposited  in  the  rooms  of  the 
Geographical  Society  in  Saville  Row. 

167 


Xast  imov^Q  ot 

In  the  course  of  the  evening  the  remains  were 
examined  by  Sir  William  Fergusson  and  several 
other  medical  gentlemen,  including  Dr.  Loudon,  of 
Hamilton,  whose  professional  skill  and  great  kind- 
ness to  his  family  had  gained  for  him  a  high  place 
in  the  esteem  and  love  of  Livingstone.  To  many 
persons  it  had  appeared  so  incredible  that  the  re- 
mains should  have  been  brought  from  the  heart  of 
Africa  to  London,  that  some  conclusive  identifica- 
tion of  the  body  seemed  to  be  necessary  to  set  all 
doubt  at  rest.  The  state  of  the  arm,  the  one  that 
had  been  broken  by  the  lion,  supplied  the  crucial 
evidence.  "  Exactly  in  the  region  of  the  attach- 
ment of  the  deltoid  to  the  humerus  "  (wrote  Sir 
William  Fergusson  in  a  contribution  to  the  Lancet, 
April  1 8,  1874),  "there  were  the  indications  of  an 
oblique  fracture.  On  moving  the  arm  there  were 
the  indications  of  an  ununited  fracture.  A  closer 
identification  and  dissection  displayed  the  false  joint 
that  had  so  long  ago  been  so  well  recognized  by 
those  who  had  examined  the  arm  in  former  days. 
.  .  .  The  first  glance  set  my  mind  at  rest,  and 
that,  with  further  examination,  made  me  as  positive 
as  to  the  identification  of  these  remains  as  that  there 
has  been  among  us  in  modern  times  one  of  the 
greatest  men  of  the  human  race — David  Living- 
stone." 

The  black  slab  that  now  marks  the  resting-place 
of  Livingstone  in  Westminster  Abbey  bears  this  in- 
scription : 

168 


Distinciufsbe^  /iDen  ant)  Momen 

BROUGHT  BY  FAITHFUL  HANDS 
OVER  LAND  AND  SEA, 

HERE  RESTS 

DAVID  LIVINGSTONE, 

MISSIONARY,  TRAVELER.   PHILANTHROPIST, 

BORN   MARCH   19,   1813, 

AT  BLANTYRE,  LANARKSHIRE. 

DIED  MAY  4,'  1873, 

AT  CHITAMBO'S  VILLAGE,  ILALA. 

For  thirty  years  his  life  was  spent  in  an  unwearied  effort  to 
evangelize  the  native  races,  to  explore  the  undiscovered 

secrets, 

and  abolish  the  desolating  slave-trade  of  Central  Africa, 

and   where,    with   his   last   words  he   wrote: 

"  All  I  can  say  in  my  solitude  is,  may  Heaven's  rich  blessing 

come  down  on  every  one — American,  English,  Turk — 

who  will  help  to  heal  this  open  sore  of  the 

world." 

Along  the  right  border  of  the  stone  are  the  words : 

TANTUS    AMOR    VERI,    NIHIL    EST    QUOD    NOSCERE    MALIM 
QUAM  FLUVII  CAUSAS  PER  S.«CULA  TANTA  LATENTES. 

And  along  the  left  border : 

OTHER  SHEEP  I   HAVE  WHICH   ARE   NOT  OF  THIS   FOLD, 

THEM    ALSO    I    MUST    BRING,    AND   THEY    SHALL    HEAR    MY    VOICK. 

Blaikie's  "  Personal  Life  of  Livingstone." 
The  late  E.  J.  Glane,  who  crossed  Africa  in  the 

interest  of  The  Century,  makes  the  following  entry 

in  his  journal : 

July  9.    To-day  I  revisited  the  tree  where  Living- 


*  In  the  Last  Journals  the  date  is  May  ist ;   on  the  stone. 
May  4th.    The  attendants  could  not  quite  determine  the  day. 

169 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

stone  died,  and  in  order  to  guide  others  to  the  exact 
spot,  in  case  this  tree  should  disappear  from  any 
cause,  I  selected  another  big  tree  likely  to  last  many 
years,  cleared  away  two  and  a  half  square  feet  of 
its  bark,  and  in  the  space  marked  as  follows :  "  This 
tree  is  magnetic  southwest  of  the  tree  where  Living- 
stone's remains  are  buried,  and  is  forty-five  paces 
from  it."  I  brought  away  a  bit  of  the  bark  of  the 
memorable  tree — a  dead  part,  so  as  not  to  be  guilty 
of  vandalism.^ 

Livingstone's  grave  is  in  a  quiet  nook,  such  as  he 
himself  desired,  in  the  outskirts  of  a  forest  border- 
ing on  a  grass  plain  where  the  roan  buck  and  eland 
roam  in  safety.  When  I  visited  the  place  turtle- 
doves were  cooing  in  the  tree-tops,  and  a  litter  of 
young  hyenas  had  been  playing  near  by ;  in  the  low 
ground  outside  the  hole  leading  to  the  cave  were 
their  recent  tracks;  they  had  scampered  into  safety 
at  our  approach. 

Locke  (John,  author  of  the  celebrated  "  Essay 
Concerning  the  Human  Understanding"),  1632- 
1704.  "  O,  the  depth  of  the  riches  of  the  goodness 
and  knoivledge  of  God!  " 

Some  authorities  say  his  last  words  were,  "  Cease 
now ;  "  to  Lady  Masham  who  was  reading  to  him 
a  Psalm  of  David. 


^  The  section  of  the  tree  containing  the  inscription  made 
by  Jacob  Wainwright  has  been  brought  to  England  and 
deposited  in  the  house  of  the  Geographical  Society. 

170 


2)t0tinoufsbeb  /Kien  an&  Momen 

Longfellow  (Henry  Wadsworth),  1807- 1882. 
"  Nozv  I  know  that  I  must  he  very  ill,  since  you  have 
been  sent  for,"  said  to  his  sister  who  came  from 
Portland,  Me. 

His  last  written  lines  (nine  days  before  his  death) 
were: 

"  Out   of  the  shadows  of  night, 
The  world  rolls  into  light ; 
It  is  daybreak  everywhere." 

— The  Bells  of  San  Bias. 

Louis  L  (Louis  le  Debonnaire),  778-840.  "  Huz! 
huz! " 

He  turned  his  face  to  the  wall  and  twice  cried, 
"  Huz !  huz !  "     (  "  Out !  out !  "  )  and  then  died. 

Bouquet. 

Louis  IX.  ("  Saint  Louis,"  canonized  by  Pope 
Boniface  VHL  in  1297),  1215-1270.  "I  will  enter 
now  into  the  house  of  the  Lord." 

Some  authorities  say  his  last  words  were  "  We 
will  go  to  Jerusalem." 

Louis  XHL  (son  of  Henry  IV.  and  Marie  de 
Medicis),  1601-1643.  "  Well,  my  God,  I  consent 
with  all  my  heart,"  to  his  physician  who  told  him 
he  had  but  two  hours  to  live. 

Louis  XIV.  (surnamed  Le  Grand,  often  called 
Louis  QuATORZE,  the  most  magnificent  of  the  Bour- 
bon Kings),  1638-1715.  "  Why  weep  ye?  Did  you 
think  I  should  live  forever?  "  then  after  a  pause,  "I 

171 


Xast  '(KIlor^0  of 

thought  dying  had  been  harder."  Some  say  his  last 
words  were :  "  O  God,  come  to  mine  aid !  O  Lord, 
make  haste  to  help  me !  " 

On  Sunday,  August  31,  towards  eleven  o'clock  in 
the  evening,  the  prayers  for  the  dying  were  said 
for  Louis  XIV.  He  recited  them  himself  in  a  louder 
voice  than  any  of  the  spectators;  and  seemed  still 
more  majestic  on  his  death-bed  than  on  his  throne. 
When  the  prayers  were  ended  he  recognized  Car- 
dinal de  Rohan  and  said  to  him,  "  These  are  the 
graces  of  the  Church."  Several  times  he  repeated: 
"  Nunc  et  in  hora  mortis."  Then  he  said,  "  O  God, 
come  unto  mine  aid;  O  Lord,  make  haste  to  help 
me."  These  were  his  last  words.  The  agony  was 
beginning.  It  lasted  all  night,  and  on  Sunday,  Sep- 
tember I,  1715,  at  a  quarter  past  eight  in  the  morn- 
ing, Louis  XIV.,  aged  seventy-seven  years  lacking 
three  days,  during  sixty-two  of  which  he  had  been 
a  king,  yielded  his  great  soul  to  God. 

Imbert  de  Saint- Amand. 

Louis  XV.  (of  France),  17 10- 1774.  "Repeat 
those  zvords  Monsieur  the  almoner,  repeat  them," 
to  Cardinal  de  La  Roche-Aymon,  who  read  aloud 
the  public  apology  made  by  the  sovereign  to  his 
people. 

Some  authorities  give  his  last  words  thus :  "  I 
have  been  a  great  sinner,  doubtless,  but  I  have  ever 
observed  Lent  with  a  most  scrupulous  exactness;  I 
have  caused  more  than  a  hundred  thousand  masses 

172 


H)i0tlnouisbe&  /IDen  an6  Momen 

to  be  said  for  the  repose  of  unhappy  souls,  so  that 
I  flatter  myself  I  have  not  been  a  very  bad  Chris- 
tian." 

A  candle  burning  in  the  King's  chamber,  which 
was  to  be  extinguished  at  the  same  moment  as  the 
life  of  the  King,  was  the  signal  agreed  on  for  the 
measures  to  be  taken  and  the  orders  to  be  given  as 
soon  as  he  should  have  breathed  his  last.  The  candle 
was  put  out  at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  May 
lo,  1774.  Instantly  a  great  tumult,  comparable  to 
a  clap  of  thunder,  shook  the  arches  of  Versailles. 
It  was  the  crowd  of  courtiers  leaving  the  antecham- 
bers of  the  dead  man  and  noisily  hastening  to  meet 
the  new  monarch. 

Imhert  de  Saint-Amand:  "  The   Last    Years    of 

Louis  xvr 

Louts  XVI.  (guillotined  by  a  wild  and  blood- 
thirsty mob,  called  the  French  Republic,  the  21st  of 
January,  1793),  1754-1793.  "  Frenchmen,  I  die  in- 
nocent of  all  the  crimes  ivhich  have  been  imputed  to 
inc.  I  forgive  my  enemies;  I  implore  God,  from  the 
bottom  of  my  heart,  to  pardon  them,  and  not  to  take 
vengeance  on  the  French  nation  for  the  blood  about 
to  be  shed." 

He  was  proceeding,  when  Santerre,  who  was  on 
horseback  near  the  scaffold,  made  a  signal  for  the 
drums  to  beat,  when  the  assistants  seized  the  vic- 
tim, and  the  horrid  murder  was  completed. 

When  the  king's  head  was  severed  from  the  body, 

173 


one  of  the  executioners  held  it  up  by  the  hair,  danc- 
ing at  the  same  time  around  the  scaffold,  with  the 
most  savage  exultation. 
Contemporary  History  of  the  French  Revolution. 

Louis  XVII.  (second  son  of  Louis  XVI.  He  be- 
came dauphin  at  the  death  of  an  elder  brother  in 
1789,  and  was  recognized  as  king  in  January,  1793, 
by  the  French  royalists  and  several  foreign  courts, 
but  he  was  closely  confined  by  the  Jacobins.  The 
cruel  treatment  which  he  received  in  prison  hastened 
his  death),  1785-1795.  ''I  have  something  to  tell 
you." 

k    Louis  XVIII.    (Louis  Stanislas  Xavier),   1755- 
1824.     "A  King  should  die  standing."  I' 

Louise  (Auguste  Wilhelmine  Amelie,  Queen  of 
Prussia),  1776-1810.  "  /  am  a  Queen,  but  have  no 
power  to  move  my  arms." 

LovAT  (Lord  Fraser  of  Lovat,  Scottish  Jacobite 
conspirator.  In  the  rebellion  of  1745  he  was  de- 
tected in  treasonable  acts  against  King  George,  for 
which  he  was  executed),  about  1666- 1747. 

He  was  beheaded  on  Tower  Hill.  On  reaching 
the  scaffold,  he  asked  for  the  executioner,  and  pre- 
sented him  with  a  purse  containing  ten  guineas.  He 
then  asked  to  see  the  axe,  felt  its  edge,  and  said  he 
thought  it  would  do.  Next  he  looked  at  his  coffin, 
on  which  was  inscribed : 

174 


Distinouisbet)  /ir^en  an&  Momen 

Simon,  Dominus  Fraser  De  Lovat, 

Decollat  April  9,  1747 

^tat  suae  80. 

After  repeating  some  lines  from  Horace,  and  next 
from  Ovid,  he  prayed,  then  bade  adieu  to  his  solici- 
tor and  agent  in  Scotland ;  finally  the  executioner 
completed  his  work,  the  head  falling  from  the  body. 
Lord  Lovat  was  the  last  person  beheaded  in  England. 
Andrezvs:  "  Bygone  Punishments. " 

LucAN  or  LucANus  (Marcus  Annseus,  Roman 
epic  poet,  nephew  of  the  philosopher  Seneca),  38-65. 

Lucan  exhibited  great  apparent  serenity  at  the  ap- 
proach of  death.  After  the  veins  of  his  arm  had 
been  voluntarily  opened,  and  he  had  lost  a  large 
quantity  of  blood,  he  felt  his  hands  and  his  legs  losing 
their  vitality.  As  the  hour  of  death  approached,  he 
commenced  repeating  several  lines  out  of  his  own 
"  Pharsalia,"  descriptive  of  a  person  similarly  situ- 
ated to  himself.  These  lines  he  repeated  until  he 
died : 

^'Asunder  Hies  the  man — 
No  single  wound  the  gaping  rupture  seems, 
J V here  trickling  crimson  Hows  the  tender  streams; 
But  from  an  opening  horrible  and  zvide 
A  thousand  vessels  pour  the  bursting  tide: 
At  once  the  winding  channel's  course  was  broke, 
Where  zvandering  life  her  macy  journey  took." 

Winslow:  "  Anatomy  of  Suicide." 

175 


Xast  Timorbs  of 

Lucas  (Sir  Charles.  He  commanded  the  right 
wing  of  the  royal  army  at  Marston  Moor,  was  taken 
prisoner  at  Colchester,  where  he  was  put  to  death 
August  29th,  1648), — 1648.  '' Soldiers, -Rre!"  to 
the  soldiers  appointed  to  shoot  him. 

LuLLi  or  LuLLY  (Jean  Baptiste,  Italian  composer, 
called  "the  Father  of  French  Dramatic  Music"), 
1633-1687.  "Sinner,  thou  must  die."  In  sign  of 
his  repentance  he  died  with  a  halter  around  his  neck, 
repeating  and,  sometimes  singing,  with  tears  of  re- 
morse, "  Sinner,  thou  must  die." 

Luther  (Martin,  the  greatest  of  the  Protestant 
reformers),  1484- 1546.  "  Yes,"  in  response  to  the 
question  whether  he  stood  by  the  doctrines  of  Scrip- 
ture as  he  had  taught  them. 

The  same  man  who  could  scold  like  a  fishwife 
could  be  as  gentle  as  a  tender  maiden.  At  times  he 
was  as  fierce  as  the  storm  that  uproots  oaks;  and 
then  again  he  was  as  mild  as  the  zephyr  caressing 
the  violets.  .  .  .  The  refinement  of  Erasmus, 
the  mildness  of  Melancthon,  could  never  have 
brought  us  so  far  as  the  godlike  brutality  of  brother 
Martin. — Heine. 

Lyttelton  (George,  first  Lord,  English  states- 
man, author  of  "  Dialogues  of  the  Dead,"  and  "  His- 
tory of  Henry  II."),  1709-1773.  "  Be  good,  he  vir- 
tuous, my  lord,  you  must  come  to  this,"  to  his  son- 
in-law.  Lord  Valentia. 

176 


H)i8tingufsbe6  /IDen  an&  Momen 

Macaulay  (Thomas  Babington,  Lord),  1800- 
1859.  "I  shall  retire  early;  I  am  very  tired,"  said 
to  his  butler,  who  asked  him  if  he  would  not  rest  on 
the  sofa. 

His  mother  resolved  to  spend  the  night  at  Holly 
Lodge.  She  had  just  left  the  drawing-room  to  make 
her  preparations  for  the  visit  (it  being,  I  suppose,  a 
little  before  seven  in  the  evening),  when  a  servant 
arrived  with. an  urgent  summons.  As  we  drove  up 
to  the  porch  of  my  uncle's  house,  the  maids  ran,  cry- 
ing, out  into  the  darkness  to  meet  us,  and  we  knew 
that  all  was  over.  We  found  him  in  the  library, 
seated  in  his  easy  chair,  and  dressed  as  usual;  with 
his  book  on  the  table  beside  him,  still  open  at  the 
same  page.  He  had  told  his  butler  that  he  should 
go  to  bed  early,  as  he  was  very  tired.  The  man  pro- 
posed his  lying  on  the  sofa.  He  rose  as  if  to  move, 
sat  down  again,  and  ceased  to  breathe.  He  died  as 
he  had  always  wished  to  die — without  pain ;  without 
any  formal  farewell ;  preceding  to  the  grave  all 
whom  he  loved ;  and  leaving  behind  him  a  great  and 
honorable  name,  and  the  memory  of  a  life  every 
action  of  which  was  clear  and  transparent  as  one  of 
his  own  sentences. — G.  Otto  Trevelyan. 

Maccail  (his  given  name  has  not  been  preserved, 
a  Scots  Covenanter  who  expired  under  torture  in  the 
time  of  Charles  IL  of  England),  1668.  He  died  in 
an  ecstasy  of  joy,  and  his  last  words  were:  "Fare- 
well sun,  moon  and  stars;  farewell,  world  and  time; 

177 


%nst  "MovbB  of 

farewell,  weak  and  frail  body;  welcome,  eternity; 
welcome,  angels  and  saints;  welcome,  Saviour  of  the 
world;  welcome,  God,  the  Judge  of  all." 

Machiavelli,  or  Macchiavelli,  sometimes 
Machiavel  (Nicholas,  a  celebrated  atheist,  and  the 
author  of  "The  Prince"),  1469- 1530.  ''I  desire 
to  go  to  hell,  and  not  to  heaven.  In  the  former  place 
I  shall  enjoy  the  company  of  popes,  kings,  and 
princes,  while  in  the  latter  are  only  beggars,  monks, 
hermits,  and  apostles." 

Mackintosh  (Sir  James,  philosopher  and  poli- 
tician), 1765-1832.     "Happy!" 

Malherbe  (Frangoie  de,  the  "  Father  of  French 
lyric  poetry"),  1555-1628.  ''Hold  your  tongue; 
your  ivretched  style  only  makes  me  out  of  conceit 
with  them,"  to  his  confessor,  who  was  presenting  the 
joys  of  heaven  in  vulgar  and  trite  phrases. 

His  ruling  passion  was  purity  of  diction.  He 
would  destroy  a  quire  of  paper  in  composing  a  single 
stanza;  and  it  is  said  that  during  the  twenty-five 
most  prolific  years  of  his  life  he  made  only  about 
thirty-three  verses  a  year. 

Marat  (Jean  Paul,  court-physician,  author  of 
several  scientific  works,  and  later  the  main  promoter 
of  the  Reign  of  Terror  in  France),  1743- 1793. 
"Help,  my  dear — help!"  As  Marat  uttered  these 
words  he  fell  at  the  feet  of  Charlotte  Corday,  and  im- 
mediately expired. 

178 


Bistinoufsbeb  /IDen  an&  TKHomen 

Charlotte,  motionless,  and  as  if  petrified  at  her 
crime,  was  standing  behind  the  window  curtain.  The 
transparent  material  allowed  her  form  to  be  easily 
distinguished.  Laurent,  taking  up  a  chair,  struck 
her  a  clumsy  blow  on  the  head,  which  knocked  her 
to  the  floor,  where  Marat's  mistress  trampled  her 
under  foot  in  her  rage.  At  the  noise  that  ensued, 
and  the  cries  of  the  two  women,  the  occupants  of 
the  house  hastened  thither,  neighbors  and  persons 
passing  in  the  streets  ascended  the  staircase  and 
filled  the  room,  the  courtyard,  and  very  speedily  the 
whole  quarter,  demanding,  with  fierce  exclamations, 
that  they  would  throw  the  assassin  out  to  them,  that 
they  might  avenge  the  dead — yet  still  warm — body 
of  the  people's  idol.  Soldiers  and  national  guards 
entered,  and  order  was,  in  some  measure,  re-estab- 
lished. Surgeons  arrived,  and  endeavored  to  stanch 
the  wound.  The  reddened  water  gave  to  the  san- 
guinary democrat  the  appearance  of  having  died  in  a 
bath  of  blood. — Larmartine. 

The  veneration  for  the  monster  Marat  knew  no 
bounds.  Hymns  were  written  in  his  honor.  On 
divers  stamps  he  was  placed  by  the  side  of  Christ. 
Men  swore  by  the  sacred  heart  of  Marat.  The  new 
worship  was  complete,  it  had  prostitutes  for  god- 
desses, and  a  man  of  violence  and  blood  for  a  martyr 
and  a  saint.  All  it  yet  lacked  was  to  engage  in 
persecution;  and  it  failed  not  in  this  worthy  busi- 
ness.— De  Pressensi. 


179 


Xast  Mort)s  ot 

Marcus  (of  Arethusa),  being  hung  up  in  a  basket 
smeared  with  honey,  to  be  stung  to  death  by  bees, 
exclaimed,^  "  How  am  I  advanced,  despising  you 
that  are  upon  the  earth!" 


^  To  some  of  the  most  distinguished  of  our  race  death  has 
come  in  the  strangest  possible  way,  and  so  grotesquely  as 
to  subtract  greatly  from  the  dignity  of  the  sorrow  it  must 
certainly  have  occasioned.  -^schylus,  whose  seventy  trage- 
dies, to  say  nothing  of  his  many  satiric  dramas,  have  given 
their  author  an  immortal  name,  was  killed  by  the  fall  of  a 
tortoise  on  his  bald  head  from  the  talons  of  an  eagle  high 
in  the  air  above  him. 

There  was  a  singular  propriety  in  the  death  of  Anacreon 
by  choking  at  a  grape  stone  or  a  dried  grape.  The  poet 
whose  sweetest  and  most  enticing  lines  celebrate  wine  and 
love  came  to  his  death  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-five  from  the 
fruit  of  the  vine.  Agathocles,  the  tyrant  of  Syracuse,  was 
given  by  the  treacherous  Maenou  a  poisoned  toothpick  which 
soon  rendered  his  mouth  incurably  gangrened,  and  deprived 
him  of  the  power  of  speech.  While  in  this  miserable  and 
helpless  condition  he  was  stretched  upon  the  funeral  pile 
and  burned  alive. 

Fabius,  the  Roman  praetor,  died  from  the  same  cause  that 
occasioned  the  death  of  Anacreon.  A  single  goat  hair  in 
the  milk  he  was  drinking,  lodged  in  his  trachea  and  choked 
him.  Chalchas,  the  soothsayer,  outlived  the  time  predicted 
for  his  death,  which  struck  him  as  so  comical  that  he  burst 
into  a  fit  of  most  immoderate  laughter  from  which  he  died. 
Thus  also  died  the  famous  Marquette,  who  was  convulsed 
with  a  fatal  merriment  on  seeing  a  monkey  trying  to  pull 
on  a  pair  of  boots.  Philomenes  was  seized  with  an  equally 
disastrous  merriment  when  he  came  suddenly  upon  an  ass 
that  was  devouring  with  greediness  the  choice  figs  that  had 
been  prepared   for  his  own   desert. 

Laughter  killed  the  great  Zeuxis,  of  whom  Pliny  relates 
the   story   of   a   trial   of   skill    with   the   painter   Parrhasius. 

i8o 


Btstfnaufsbet)  /IDen  an&  Momen 

Margaret  (of  Scotland,  wife  of  Louis  XL  of 
France),  1420-1445.  "  Fi  de  la  vie!  qu'on  ne  m'en 
parlc  plus." 

Margaret  was  devoted  to  literature,  and,  while  she 
lived,  patronized  men  of  learning  and  genius.  Her 
admiration  for  the  poet  Alain  Chartier  is  said  to 
have  induced  her  to  kiss  his  lips  as  he  sat  asleep  one 
day  in  a  chair.  Her  attendants  being  astonished  at 
this  act  of  condescension,  the  princess  replied  that 
"  she  did  not  kiss  the  man,  but  the  lips  which  had 
given  utterance  to  so  many  exquisite  thoughts."  She 
died  at  the  age  of  twenty-five,  before  her  husband 
had  ascended  the  throne. 
Mrs.  Hale's  "  Sketches  of  Distinguished  Women." 

Margaret  (of  Valois,  Queen  of  Navarre  and  sis- 
ter of  Francis  L,  of  France),  1492-1549.  "Fare- 
well, and  remember  me."  Some  say,  upon  what 
authority  I  do  not  know,  that  the  queen's  last  words 
were :    "  I  never  departed  from  the  true  church," 


The  former  painted  a  bunch  of  grapes  that  were  so  natural 
a  bird  endeavored  to  eat  the  fruit.  Charles  VIII.,  while 
gallantly  conducting  his  queen  into  the  tennis  court,  struck 
his  head  against  the  lintel  and  died  soon  after  from  the  acci- 
dent. 

Frederick  Lewis,  Prince  of  Wales,  was  struck  by  a  cricket 
ball,  which  caused  his  death.  A  pig  occasioned  the  death 
of  Louis  VI.,  the  creature  ran  under  the  monarch's  horse 
causing  it  to  stumble.  But  of  all  strange  deaths  that  of 
Itadach  is  the  strangest.  He  expired  from  thirst  while  toiling 
in  the  harvest  field,  because,  in  obedience  to  the  rule  of  St. 
Patrick,  he  would  not  drink  "  a  drop  of  anything." 

181 


Xast  Mor&6  ot 

She  inclined  to  the  Protestant  faith,  but  Roman 
CathoHc  writers  assert  that  before  her  death  she  ac- 
knowledged her  religious  errors,  and  De  Remond 
even  goes  so  far  as  to  imply  that  she  denied  on  her 
death-bed  having  ever  swerved  from  the  standard  of 
Roman  authority. — Memoir  of  Margaret,  attached 
to  the  EnglisJi  translation  of  her  Heptamcron. 

She  was  a  brilliant  writer  in  both  prose  and  verse, 
and  was  called  the  "  Tenth  Muse."  Several  authors 
speak  of  her  as  "  Margaret  the  Pearl,  surpassing  all 
the  pearls  of  the  Orient."  She  composed  a  religious 
work  called  "  Miroir  de  I'ame  Pecheresse,"  which 
was  condemned  by  the  Sorbonne,  on  the  ground  that 
it  inclined  to  Protestant  doctrines.  She  also  wrote 
the  "  Heptameron,  or  Novels  of  the  Queen  of 
Navarre." 

Marie  Antoinette  (Marie  Antoinette  Josephine 
Jeanne  de  Lorraine,  daughter  of  Francis  I.,  Em- 
peror of  Germany,  and  Maria  Theresa,  and  wife  of 
Louis  XVL,  of  France;  she  was  guillotined  October 
1 6,  1793),  1755-1793-  "Farewell,  my  children,  for- 
ever. I  go  to  your  father." 

The  king  perished  on  the  scaffold  January  21, 
1793.  The  queen  had  four  children,  Marie  Therese 
Charlotte,  who  married  the  oldest  son  of  Charles  X. ; 
the  dauphin,  Louis,  born  in  1781  and  died  in  1789; 
Charles  Louis,  who  died  a  victim  to  the  brutality  of 
the  cobbler  Simon;  and  a  daughter  who  died  in  in- 
fancy, 

182 


Martineau  (Harriet,  English  author,  and  trans- 
lator of  "  The  Positive  Philosophy  of  Auguste 
Comte"),  1802-1876.  ''I  have  had  a  noble  share 
of  life,  and  I  do  not  ask  for  any  other  life.  I  see  no 
reason  why  the  existence  of  Harriet  Martineau 
should  be  perpetuated." 

During  the  last  one-and-twenty  years  of  her  life, 
death  was  the  idea  most  familiar  and  most  welcome. 
It  was  spoken  of  and  provided  for  with  an  easy  free- 
dom that  I  never  saw  approached  in  any  other  home, 
yet  she  never  expressed  a  wish  respecting  a  place  of 
burial.  But  a  few  days  before  her  death,  when  asked 
if  she  would  be  laid  in  the  burial-place  of  her  family, 
she  assented;  and  she  lies  with  her  kindred,  in  the 
old  cemetery  at  Birmingham.* 

Maria  Weston  Chapman. 

'  Her  Will,  by  which  her  personalty,  sworn  under  iio.ooo, 
is  suitably  divided  among  her  brothers  and  sisters,  an  old 
servant,  and  a  few  friends,  contains  one  peculiar  provision 
which  indicates  the  desire  of  the  testatrix,  even  when  dead, 
to  benefit  the  living.  "  It  is  my  desire,"  she  says,  "  from  an 
interest  in  the  progress  of  scientific  investigation,  that  my 
Skull  should  be  given  to  Henry  George  Atkinson,  of  Upper 
Gloucester  Place,  London,  and  also  my  Brain,  if  my  death 
should  take  place  within  such  distance  of  his  then  present 
abode,  as  to  enable  him  to  have  it  for  the  purposes  of 
scientific  observation."  By  the  second  codicil,  dated  October 
Sth,  1872,  this  direction  is  revoked;  "but,"  the  codicil  pro- 
ceeds, "  I  wish  to  leave  it  on  record  that  this  alteration  in 
my  testamentary  directions  is  not  caused  by  any  change  of 
opinion  as  to  the  importance  of  scientific  observation  on  such 
subjects,  but  is  made  in  consequence  merely  of  a  change  of 
circumstances  in  my  individual  case."     The  "  circumstances  " 

183 


Xast  milor&6  ot 

Mary  (Queen  of  Scots),  1542-1587.     "  O  Lord, 
into  Thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit." 


alluded  to  were  doubtless  these.  When  the  removal  of  Miss 
Martineau  to  London  took  place,  the  "  Burke  and  Hare " 
murders,  and  "  body-snatching "  generally,  were  the  special 
horrors  of  the  day.  The  only  authorized  supply  of  "  sub- 
jects"  for  dissection  was  from  the  gallows;  and  philan- 
thropic persons  sought  by  selling  the  reversion  of  their  bodies 
(a  transaction  which,  legally,  does  not  hold  good),  or  like 
Jeremy  Bentham,  leaving  them  to  some  institution,  or  medical 
expert,  by  a  special  bequest  (also  nugatory),  to  dissolve  the 
association  of  disgrace  with  the  necessary  procedure  of  dis- 
section. The  difficulty  was,  in  great  measure,  relieved  by 
the  passing  of  Mr.  Warburton's  Bill;  and  hence  the  necessity 
for  such  an  arrangement  as  that  made  by  Miss  Martineau 
ceased  to  exist.  The  singular  provision,  had  however,  be- 
come known ;  and  shortly  after  the  execution  of  the  docu- 
ment, the  testatrix  received  a  letter  from  the  celebrated 
aurist,  Mr.  Toynbee,  asking  her  point-blank  to  bequeath  him 
a  "  legacy  of  her  ears."  She  had  suffered  from  deafness  all 
her  life;  a  large  amount  of  mischief  and  misery  was  caused 
by  the  ignorance  of  surgeons  with  regard  to  the  auditory 
apparatus;  and  this  ignorance  could  only  be  removed  by  such 
means  as  he  proposed.  The  lady  to  whom  this  strange  request 
was  made,  says  with  grim  humour,  that  she  felt  "  rather 
amused  when  she  caught  herself  in  a  feeling  of  shame,  as  it 
were,  at  having  only  one  pair  of  ears, — at  having  no  dupli- 
cate for  Mr.  Toynbee,  after  having  disposed  otherwise  of  her 
skull."  She,  however,  told  him  how  the  matter  actually  stood ; 
and  a  meeting  took  place  between  the  doctor  and  the  legatee, 
"  to  ascertain  whether  one  head  could,  in  any  way,  be  made 
to  answer  both  their  objects." 

An  autopsy  of  her  body  was  eventually  made  by  Dr.  T. 
M.  Greenhow,  of  Leeds ;  a  full  detail  of  the  appearances  at 
which  will  be  found  in  the  British  Medical  Journal,  for  April 
14th,  1877,  p.  449. — William  Bates  in  "The  Maclise  Portrait 
Gallery." 

184 


5)f0tin0ufsbe&  /IDen  an&  Momen 

The  first  blow  of  the  executioner  inflicted  a  ghastly 
wound  on  the  lower  part  of  the  skull.  Not  a  scream 
nor  groan,  not  a  sigh  escaped  her,  but  the  convulsion 
of  her  features  showed  the  horrible  suffering  caused 
by  the  wound.  The  eye-witness  of  the  execution, 
whose  account  is  published,  thus  relates  this  incident : 
"  Thereupon  the  headsman  brought  down  his  axe, 
but  missing  the  proper  place,  gave  her  a  horrible 
blow  upon  the  upper  extremity  of  the  neck ;  but,  with 
unexampled  fortitude,  she  remained  perfectly  still, 
and  did  not  even  heave  a  sigh.  At  the  second  stroke 
the  neck  was  severed  and  the  head  held  up  to  the 
eaze  of  bystanders  with  '  God  save  Queen  Eliza- 
beth!'  " — Meline's  ''Mary  Queen  of  Scots." 

When  the  psalm  was  finished  she  felt  for  the 
block,  and  laying  down  her  head  muttered :  "  In 
manus,  Domine,  tuas  commendo  animam  meam." 
The  hard  wood  seemed  to  hurt  her,  for  she  placed 
her  hands  under  her  neck.  The  executioners  gently 
removed  them  lest  they  should  deaden  the  blow,  and 
then  one  of  them,  holding  her  slightly,  the  other 
raised  the  axe  and  struck.  The  scene  had  been  too 
trying  even  for  the  practised  headsman  of  the  Tower, 
His  arm  wandered.  The  blow  fell  on  the  knot  of  the 
handkerchief  and  scarcely  broke  the  skin.  She 
neither  spoke  nor  moved.  He  struck  again,  this  time 
effectively.  The  head  hung  by  a  shred  of  skin,  which 
he  divided  without  withdrawing  the  axe,  and  at  once 
a  metamorphosis  was  witnessed  strange  as  was  ever 
wrought  by  wand  of  fabled  enchanter.    The  coif  fell 

185 


Xast  Timor^s  of 

off  and  the  false  plaits ;  the  labored  illusion  vanished ; 
the  lady  who  had  knelt  before  the  block  was  in  the 
maturity  of  grace  and  loveliness.  The  executioner, 
when  he  raised  the  head  as  usual  to  show  it  to  the 
crowd,  exposed  the  withered  features  of  a  grizzled, 
wrinkled  old  woman. 

Fronde's  "  History  of  England." 

Mary  (Countess  of  Warwick),  — 1678.  "  Well, 
ladies,  if  I  were  one  hour  in  heaven,  I  would  not  he 
again  with  you,  as  much  as  I  love  you." 

She  is  the  author  of  the  famous  question :  "  Why 
are  we  so  fond  of  that  life  which  begins  with  a  cry, 
and  ends  with  a  groan  ?  " 

Mary  I.  (Queen  of  England,  commonly  called 
"  Bloody  Queen  Mary  "  on  account  of  her  violent 
and  cruel  persecution  of  the  Protestants),  15 17- 
1558.  "  After  I  am  dead,  you  will  find  Calais  writ- 
ten upon  my  heart." 

The  loss  of  Calais  just  before  her  death  affected 
her  deeply. 

Of  the  first  Mary,  long  and  too  deservedly  known 
by  the  title  of  "  Bloody  Mary,"  we  confess  we  can 
never  think  without  commiseration.  Unamiable  she 
certainly  was,  and  deplorably  bigoted.  She  sent 
two  hundred  and  eighty-four  people  to  the  stake  dur- 
ing a  short  reign  of  five  years  and  four  months ; 
which,  upon  an  average,  is  upwards  of  four  a  week ! 
She  was  withal  plain,  petty  of  stature,  ill-colored,  and 
fierce-eyed,  with  a  voice  almost  as  deep  as  a  man's; 

186 


IDistinouisbet)  /IDen  an&  TRUomen 

had  a  bad  blood;  and  ended  with  having  nobody  to 
love  her,  not  even  the  bigots  in.  whose  cause  she 
lost  the  love  of  her  people. 

Leigh  Hunt:  "  Men,  Women  and  Books." 

Mary  II.  (Queen  of  England  and  wife  of  Wil- 
liam III.),  1662- 1 694.  "  My  Lord,  why  do  you  not 
go  on?  I  am  not  afraid  to  die."  Said  to  Arch- 
bishop Tillotson  who,  reading  to  her,  when  she  was 
upon  her  death-bed,  the  commendatory  prayer  in 
the  office  for  the  sick,  was  so  overcome  by  grief  that 
he  was  compelled  to  pause. 

Masaniello  (Tommaso  Aniello,  the  fisherman 
of  Amalfi,  who  headed  the  revolt  which  occurred  in 
Naples  in  1647  against  the  Spanish  viceroy,  the 
Duke  of  Arcos.  His  victory  lasted  nine  days,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  had  one  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand men  under  arms  and  at  his  command.  He  was 
murdered  by  his  own  soldiers),  1623- 1646.  "  Un- 
grateful traitors! "  said  to  the  assassins. 

Mather  (Cotton),  1633- 1728.  "I  am  going 
where  all  tears  zvill  be  iviped  from  my  eyes,"  to  his 
wife,  who  wiped  his  eyes  with  her  handkerchief. 

Just  before  this  he  exclaimed:  "Is  this  dying? 
Is  this  all  ?  Is  this  all  that  I  feared  when  I  prayed 
against  a  hard  death  ?  Oh !  I  can  bear  this !  I  can 
bear  it !    I  can  bear  it !  " 

He  was  a  masterful  man,  abundant  in  labors,  the 
organizer    of   over    twenty    charitable    societies,    a 

187 


leader  of  all  movements  in  church  and  state,  an  om- 
nivorous reader,  and  the  author  of  382  separate 
publications,  besides  his  enormous  "  Biblia  Ameri- 
cana," which  remains  to  this  day  in  manuscript.  He 
surmounted  the  prejudices  of  his  age  in  defending 
inoculation,  but  not  with  regard  to  witchcraft  and 
some  other  matters.  His  character  was  marred  by 
certain  restless  infirmities ;  "  it  was  his  unconcealed 
grief  that  he  was  never  elected  to  preside  over  Har- 
vard." His  greatest  work,  '*  Magnalia  Christi 
Americana,"  1702,  was  reprinted  in  two  volumes, 
with  memoir,  and  translations  of  the  numerous  He- 
brew, Greek,  and  Latin  quotations,  Hartford,  1855. 

Biographical  Dictionary. 

Mather  (Increase,  distinguished  New  England 
divine),  1639-1723.     '' Be  fruitful." 

Mather  (Richard,  celebrated  Congregational 
minister  in  Dorchester,  Mass.  He  was  a  voluminous 
author),  1596- 1669  "Far  from  well,  yet  far  better 
than  mine  iniquities  deserve/'  in  response  to  a  ques- 
tion about  his  health. 

Mathews  (Charles,  English  Comedian),  1776- 
1836.    "  /  am  ready." 

Maurice  (John  Frederick  Denison,  English  di- 
vine and  leader  of  the  Broad  Church  party).  1805- 
1872.  *'''  The  knowledge  of  the  love  of  God — the 
blessing  of  God  Almighty,  the  Father,  the  Son  and 

188 


Diatinguisbe^  /iDen  anC>  TKIlomen 

the  Holy  Ghost  be  amongst  you — amongst  us — and 
remain  ivith  us  forever." 

During  the  early  days  of  his  last  sickness  he  suf- 
fered greatly  in  mind,  but  as  the  end  approached  the 
sky  cleared  as  after  a  shower,  and  his  spirit  passed 
away  under  the  bright  rainbow  of  hope. 

Mazarin  (Jules,  cardinal  and  chief  minister  of 
France  during  the  minority  of  Louis  XIV.),  1602- 
166 1.  "  O,  my  poor  soul,  zvhat  is  to  become  of  theef 
Whither  wilt  thou  go  ?  " 

Mazarin  (Hortense  Mancini,  sister  of  the  cele- 
brated cardinal),  1 647- 1 699.     "Debt!" 

She  was  so  heavily  in  debt  at  the  time  of  her  death 
that  her  body  was  seized  by  her  creditors. 

Maximilian  I.  (Emperor  of  Germany),  1459- 
15 19.  His  last  words  are  not  recorded,  but  just 
before  his  death  he  left  directions  that  as  soon  as  he 
was  dead  all  his  hair  should  be  plucked  out  of  his 
body,  all  his  teeth  should  be  drawn,  and  that  both 
his  teeth  and  his  hair  should  be  burned.  His  body 
was  to  be  scourged,  and  then  wrapped  in  quicklime, 
after  which,  clad  in  silk  and  damask,  it  was  to  be 
buried  under  the  high  altar  in  such  position  that  the 
priest  who  said  mass  should  always  rest  his  feet 
above  the  emperor's  breast.  His  body  is  entombed 
in  Wienerisch  Neustadt  under  the  altar  as  he 
directed. 

189 


Xast  Mor&s  of 

Maximilian  (Ferdinand  Joseph,  Emperor  of 
Mexico  and  Archduke  of  Austria),  1832- 1867. 
"Lotte."  His  last  word  would  seem  to  indicate  that 
he  was  thinking  of  his  wife,  the  unfortunate  Car- 
lotta,  daughter  of  Leopold,  King  of  Belgium. 

In  1865  Maximilian  was  tempted  by  Napoleon 
III.  to  act  the  part  of  Emperor  of  Mexico,  then  partly 
governed  by  the  republican  President  Juarez  and 
partly  conquered  by  the  French.  He  arrived  at  the 
Mexican  capital  in  June  1864.  He  issued  a  decree 
that  all  who  adhered  to  the  republic  or  resisted  his 
authority  should  be  shot.  Many  prisoners,  including 
General  Orteaga,  accordingly  suffered  death  by  his 
order.  According  to  the  "  New  York  Evening 
Post  "  of  July  1st,  1867,  he  ordered  the  enslave- 
ment of  the  whole  laboring  population  of  Mexico. 
The  United  States  refused  to  recognize  him  as  Em- 
peror, and  required  Napoleon  to  withdraw  his  army. 
Maximilian  was  embarrassed  by  want  of  money,  and 
offended  the  clerical  party  (which  had  favored 
him)  by  refusing  to  restore  the  property  of  the 
Church,  which  had  been  confiscated  by  the  Liberals. 
The  French  troops  departed  about  the  end  of  1866. 
after  which  the  republicans  gained  several  victories 
and  the  empire  quickly  collapsed.  Maximilian  was 
captured  at  Queretaro,  and  shot  on  the  19th  of  June 
1 867. — Lippincott. 

Melanchthon  (Philip.  His  original  German 
name  was  Schwarzerdt,    which    he    Grecized  into 

190 


Distinouisbeb  /IBen  anb  Momen 

Melanchthon,  or,  as  he  sometimes  spelled  it  Melan- 
thon.  Both  names  denote  "black  earth"),  1497- 
1568.  "^  Nothing  else  but  heaven,"  in  answer  to  a 
friend  who  enquired  if  he  wanted  anything  further. 

Mericourt  (Anne  Joseph  Theroigne  de,  the  fa- 
mous "Goddess  of  Reason"^),  1760-1817.  This 
woman's  last  words  were  partly  reminiscent  and 
partly  the  incoherent  ravings  of  a  disordered  brain. 
The  old  scenes  rose  before  her  with  startling  vivid- 
ness. 

"  Died,  within  these  few  days,  in  the  hospital  of 


*  Mile.  Maillard,  the  actress,  is  mentioned  by  Lamartine  as 
one  of  the  Goddesses,  who  was  compelled  to  play  the  part 
much  against  her  will.  "  Chaumette,  assisted  by  Lais,  an  actor 
of  the  Opera,  had  arranged  the  fete  of  December  20,  1793. 
Mademoiselle  Maillard,  an  actress,  brilliant  with  youth  and 
talents,  played  the  part  of  the  goddess.  She  was  borne  in  a 
palanquin,  the  canopy  of  which  was  formed  of  oak  branches. 
Women  in  white,  with  tri-colored  sashes,  preceded  her.  At- 
tired with  theatrical  buskins,  a  Phrygian  cap  and  a  blue 
chlamys  over  a  transparent  tunic,  she  was  taken  to  the  foot 
of  the  altar  and  seated  there.  Behind  her  burnt  an  immense 
torch,  symbolizing  '  the  flame  of  philosophy,'  the  true  light 
of  the  world.  Chaumette,  taking  a  censer  in  his  hands,  fell 
on  his  knees  to  the  goddess,  and  offered  incense,  and  the 
whole  concluded  with  dancing  and  song." — Lamartine. 

There  was  also  a  Goddess  of  Liberty.  The  wife  of  Momoro 
went  attended  by  the  municipal  officers,  national  guards  and 
troops  of  ballet  girls  to  the  cathedral  of  Notre  Dame  de  Paris. 
Gobet  (the  archbishop  of  Paris),  and  nearly  all  the  bishops, 
vicars,  canons,  priests,  and  cures  of  Paris  stripped  them- 
selves of  their  canonicals,  donned  the  red  nightcap,  and  joined 
in  this  blasphemous  mockery. 

191 


Xast  'lKIlor&6  ot 

pauper  lunatics  of  Saltpetriere,  where  she  had  lived 
unpitied  and  unknown  for  many  years,  the  famous 
Theroigne  de  Mericourt  (the  Goddess  of  Reason), 
the  most  remarkable  of  the  heroines  of  the  revolu- 
tion."— A  Paris  paper  of  August  i,  1817. 

Met  AST  ASIC  (Pietro  Bonaventura,  originally 
named  Trapassi,  but  changed  to  Metastasio, 
"  a  changing,"  in  allusion  to  his  adoption  by 
the  celebrated  jurist  Gravina,  from  whom  he  re- 
ceived a  large  property),  1698- 1782.  After  he  had 
received  the  sacrament,  and  a  few  minutes  before  his 
death,  the  poet  uttered  with  unusual  enthusiasm  the 
following  beautiful  stanzas : 

"  T'offro   il   tuo   propria   Figlio, 
Che  gia  d'amore  in  pegno, 
Racchiuso  in  picciol  segno 
Si  voile  a  noi  donar. 

A  lui  rivolgi  il  ciglio. 
Guardo  chi  t'oifro,  e  pot 
Lasci,  Signor,  se  vuoi, 
Lascia  di  perdonar." 

I  offer  to  Thee,  O  Lord,  Thy  own  Son,  who  already  has 
given  the  pledge  of  love,  inclosed  in  this  thin  emblem ;  turn 
on  Him  thine  eyes ;  oh !  behold  whom  I  offer  to  Thee  and 
then  desist,  O  Lord !  if  Thou  canst  desist  from  mercy. 

MiRABEAu     (Honore    Gabriel    Riquetti,    Comte 

de),  1 749- 1 79 1.     '"  When  nature  has  abandoned  an 

unhappy  victim,  when  a  miracle  only  can  save  his 

life,  hoiv  can  you  have  the  barbarity  to  let  him  expire 

on  the  wheel?  "  spoken  in  support  of  a  request  for 

laudanum. 

192 


S)istin0uisbe&  /IDen  an&  Momen 

At  daybreak  he  said  to  Cabanis : — "  My  friend  I 
shall  die  to-day.  When  one  is  in  this  situation, 
there  remains  but  one  thing  more  to  do,  and  that 
is  to  perfume  me,  to  crown  me  with  flowers,  to  en- 
viron me  with  music,  so  that  I  may  enter  sweetly 
into  that  slumber  wherefrom  there  is  no  awaking."  ^ 


*  Jeremy  Bentham,  when  he  firmly  believed  that  he  was 
near  his  last  hour,  said  to  one  of  his  disciples,  who  was 
watching  over  him: — "I  now  feel  that  I  am  dying.  Our 
care  must  be  to  minimize  the  pain.  Do  not  let  any  of  the 
servants  come  into  the  room,  and  keep  away  the  youths.  It 
will  be  distressing  to  them,  and  they  can  be  of  no  service. 
Yet  I  must  not  be  alone,  and  you  will  remain  with  me,  and 
you  only,  and  then  we  shall  have  reduced  the  pain  to  the 
least  possible  amount." 

Bentham  dreaded  the  silence  and  darkness  of  the  grave, 
and  wished  to  remain  even  after  his  death  in  a  world  o£ 
living  men.  He  left  his  body  to  Dr.  Southwood  Smith  who 
was  to  perform  certain  experiments  to  ascertain  that  no  life 
remained.  After  these  experiments  the  following  disposition 
was  to  be  made  of  his  remains :  "  The  skeleton  Dr.  Smith 
shall  cause  to  be  put  together  in  such  manner  that  the  whole 
figure  may  be  seated  in  a  chair  usually  occupied  by  me  when 
living,  in  the  attitude  in  which  I  am  sitting  when  engaged 
in  thought  in  the  course  of  the  time  employed  in  writing.  I 
direct  that  the  body,  thus  prepared,  shall  be  transferred  to 
my  executor,  and  that  he  shall  cause  the  skeleton  to  be  clothed 
in  one  of  the  suits  of  black  usually  worn  by  me.  The  body 
so  clothed,  together  with  the  chair  and  the  staff  in  my  later 
years  borne  by  me,  he  shall  take  charge  of,  and  for  containing 
the  whole  apparatus  he  shall  cause  to  be  prepared  an  appro- 
priate box  or  case,  and  shall  cause  to  be  engraved  in  con- 
spicuous characters  on  a  plate  to  be  affixed  thereon,  and  also 
in  the  glass  case  in  which  the  preparations  of  the  soft  parts 
of  my  body  shall  be  contained,  as,  for  example,  in  the  manner 
used  in  the  case  of  wine  decanters ;  my  name  at  length  with 


Xast  Ximor^0  ot 

Later  in  the  day  he  uttered  these  memorable  words : 
— "  I  carry  in  my  heart  the  dirge  of  the  monarchy, 
the  ruins  whereof  will  now  be  the  prey  of  the 
factions." 

His  death,  although  that  of  a  sceptic,  had  some- 
thing in  it  sublime.  He  was  no  stranger  to  his  ap- 
proaching dissolution;  but,  far  from  being  intimi- 
dated by  the  prospect,  he  gloried  in  the  name  he  was 
to  leave.  Hearing  the  cannon  discharge  upon  some 
public  event,  he  exclaimed,  "  I  already  hear  the 
funeral  obsequies  of  Achilles — after  my  death,  the 
factions   will   tear  to   shreds  the   remnants  of  the 


the  letters  oh:  followed  by  the  day  of  my  decease.  If  it 
should  so  happen  that  my  personal  friends  and  other  disciples 
should  be  disposed  to  meet  together  on  some  day,  or  days  of 
the  year  for  the  purpose  of  commemorating  the  founder  of 
the  Greatest  Happiness  System  of  Morals  and  Legislation, 
my  executor  shall  cause  to  be  conveyed  into  the  room  in 
which  they  meet  the  case  with  its  contents." 

Humphry  Repton,  author  of  a  delightful  book  on  "  Land- 
scape Gardening  and  Landscape  Architecture,"  requested  that 
his  remains  might  be  deposited  in  a  "  garden  of  roses."  He 
selected  a  small  enclosure  by  the  church  of  Aylsham,  in  Nor- 
folk, one  of  the  most  lovely  spots  in  all  England,  where  were 
a  number  of  roses  and  vines,  as  his  last  resting  place.  On 
the  monument  over  his  grave,  after  his  name  and  age,  are 
these  lines  written  by  himself: — 

"  Not  like  the  Egyptian  tyrants — consecrate, 
Unmixt   with   others   shall   my   dust   remain; 
But  mouldering,  blended,  melting  into  earth, 
Mine  shall  give  form  and  colour  to  the  rose; 
And  while  its  vivid  blossoms  cheer  mankind, 
Its  perfum'd  odour  shall  ascend  to  heaven." 

194 


monarchy."  His  sufferings  were  severe  at  the  close 
of  his  illness :  at  one  period,  when  the  power  of 
speech  was  gone,  he  wrote  on  a  slip  of  paper  the 
words  of  Hamlet,  "  To  die  is  to  sleep."  "  When  a 
sick  man  is  given  over,  and  he  suffers  frightful 
pains,  can  a  friendly  physician  refuse  to  give  him 
opium?"  "My  pains  are  insupportable;  I  have  an 
age  of  strength,  but  not  an  instant  of  courage."  A 
few  hours  before  his  death,  the  commencement  of 
mortification  relieved  his  sufferings.  "  Remove 
from  the  bed,"  said  he,  "  all  that  sad  apparatus.  In- 
stead of  these  useless  precautions,  surround  me  with 
perfumes  and  the  flowers  of  spring;  dress  my  hair 
with  care;  let  me  fall  asleep  amidst  the  sound  of 
harmonious  music."  He  then  spoke  for  ten  minutes 
with  such  vivid  and  touching  eloquence,  that  every 
one  in  the  room  was  melted  into  tears.  "  When  I 
am  no  more,"  said  he,  "  my  worth  will  become 
known.  The  misfortunes  which  I  have  held  back 
will  then  pour  on  all  sides  upon  France;  the  crimi- 
nal faction  which  now  trembles  before  me  will  be 
unbridled.  I  have  before  my  eyes  unbounded  pre- 
sentiments of  disaster.  We  now  see  how  much  we 
erred  in  not  preventing  the  commons  from  assuming 
the  name  of  the  National  Assembly;  since  they 
gained  that  victory,  they  have  never  ceased  to  show 
themselves  unworthy  of  it.  They  have  chosen  to 
govern  the  King,  instead  of  governing  by  him ;  but 
soon  neither  he  nor  they  will  rule  the  country,  but  a 
vile  faction,  which  will  overspread  it  with  horrors." 

195 


Xast  Mor^B  of 

A  spasm,  attended  with  violent  convulsions,  having 
returned,  he  again  asked  for  laudanum.  "  When 
nature,"  said  he,  "  has  abandoned  an  unhappy  vic- 
tim, when  a  miracle  only  can  save  his  life,  how  can 
you  have  the  barbarity  to  let  him  expire  on  the 
wheel  ?  "  His  feet  were  already  cold,  but  his  coun- 
tenance still  retained  its  animation,  his  eye  its  wonted 
fire,  as  if  death  spared  to  the  last  the  abode  of  so 
much  genius.  Feigning  to  comply,  they  gave  him  a 
cup,  containing  what  they  assured  him  was  lauda- 
num. He  calmly  drank  it  off,  fell  back  on  his  pillow, 
and  expired. 

Alison's  "  History  of  Europe." 

Mohammed  (The  name  signified  "  the  praised," 
and  was  assumed  by  the  founder  of  Islam.  He  was 
originally  called  Halabi),  about  570-632.  *'  O  Allah, 
be  it  so!  Henceforth  among  the  glorious  host  of 
paradise."  Some  give  his  last  words  thus,  "  O 
Allah,  pardon  my  sins.  Yes,  I  come,  among  my 
fellow  labourers  on  high." 

In  his  last  wanderings  he  only  spoke  of  angels 
and  heaven.  He  died  in  the  lap  of  Ayeshah,  about 
noon  of  Monday,  the  twelfth  (eleventh)  of  the  third 
month,  in  the  year  1 1  of  the  Hedyrah  (June  8,  632). 
His  death  caused  an  immense  excitement  and  dis- 
tress among  the  faithful,  and  Omar,  who  himself 
would  not  believe  in  it,  tried  to  persuade  the  people 
of  his  still  being  alive.  But  Abu  Bekr  said  to  the 
assembled  multitude : — "  Whoever  among  you  has 

196 


Dfstfngufsbeb  ffX^cn  an&  Momen 

served  Mohammed,  let  him  know  that  Mohammed 
is  dead ;  but  he  who  has  served  the  god  of  Mo- 
hammed, let  him  continue  in  his  service,  for  he  is 
still  alive  and  never  dies." 

Chambers'  Encyclopaedia. 

Montcalm  ( Saint- Veran  de  Marquis),  1712- 
1759.  "  So  much  the  better!  I  shall  not  then  live  to 
see  the  surrender  of  Quebec,"  on  being  told  that  he 
was  dying. 

MoNTEFiORE  (Sir  Moses,  wealthy  and  distin- 
guished Jewish  philanthropist),  1785- 1885.  ''  Thank 
God!    Thank  Heaven! " 

Montezuma  II  (Montegumatin,  "the  sad  or 
severe  man  " — the  last  of  the  Aztec  emperors), 
about  1470- 1 520.  "/  confide  to  your  care  my  be- 
loved children,  the  most  precious  jewels  I  can  leave 
you.  The  great  monarch  beyond  the  ocean  zvill  inter- 
est himself  to  see  that  they  come  into  their  inherit- 
ance, if  you  present  before  him  their  just  claims.  I 
knozv  your  master  zvill  do  this,  if  for  no  other  reason, 
then  for  the  kindness  I  have  shozvn  the  Spaniards, 
though  it  has  occasioned  my  ruin.  For  all  my  mis- 
fortunes, Malinchc}  I  bear  you  no  ill  zvill."  Some 
give  his  last  words  thus  :  "  And  do  you  think  I,  then, 
am  taking  pleasure  in  my  bath  ?  " 

^  Malinche,  Montezuma's  name  for  Cortes,  was  borrowed 
from  the  original  name  of  the  conqueror's  mistress  and  inter- 
preter, known  in  the  Spanish  records  as  Marina.  See  "  Death 
of  Montezuma,"  in  Prescott's  "  Conquest  of  Mexico." 


Xast  Mor^s  ot 

MoNTFORT  DE  (Simon,  Earl  of  Leicester),  1208- 
1265.  "  Commend  your  souls  to  God,  for  our  bodies 
are  the  foes' ! "  To  his  followers,  when  he  saw  the 
advance  of  the  enemy  at  the  battle  of  Evesham. 

Moody  (Dwight  Lyman,  distinguished  Ameri- 
can evangelist),  1837- 1899,  '  ^  ^^^  earth  receding; 
Heaven  is  opening;  God  is  calling  me."  ^ 

As  the  noonday  hour  drew  near,  the  watchers  at 
the  bedside  noticed  the  approach  of  death.  Several 
times  Mr.  Moody's  lips  moved  as  if  in  prayer,  but 
the  articulation  was  so  faint  that  the  words  could 
not  be  heard. 

Just  as  death  came  Mr.  Moody  awoke  as  if  from 
slumber,  and  said,  with  much  joyousness.  "  I  see 
earth  receding;  Heaven  is  opening;  God  is  calling 
me,''  and  a  moment  later  he  had  entered  upon 
what  one  of  his  sons  described  as  "  a  triumphal 
march  into  heaven." — New  York  Times,  Dec.  2;^, 
1899. 

Moore  Sir  John,  British  general,  whose  death 
is  beautifully  commemorated    in    an    ode  by  Rev. 


*  The  world  recedes.     It  disappears. 
Heaven  opens  to  my  eyes.     My  ears 
With  sounds  seraphic  ring. 
Lend,   lend  your  wings!     I   mount!     I   fly! 
O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory ! 
O  death,  where  is  thy  sting ! 

— Pope:     "  The  Dying  Christian  tc  his  Soul.' 

198 


H)i6tinouf0beC)  /iDen  m\^  Momen 

Charles  Wolfe.  Byron  pronounced  this  ode  the  best 
in  the  EngHsh  language)/  1 761- 1809. 

He  said  to  Colonel  Anderson,  who  for  one  and 
twenty  years  had  been  his  friend  and  companion  in 
arms :  "  Anderson,  you  know  that  I  always  wished 
to  die  in  this  way."  He  frequently  asked,  "  Are  the 
French  beaten?  "  And  at  length,  when  he  was  told 
they  were  defeated  in  every  point,  he  said.  "  It  is  a 
great  satisfaction  to  me  to  know  we  have  beaten  the 
French.  I  hope  the  people  of  England  will  be  sat- 
isfied. I  hope  my  country  will  do  me  justice."  Hav- 
ing mentioned  the  name  of  his  venerable  mother, 
and  the  names  of  some  other  friends,  for  whose 
welfare  he  seemed  anxious  to  offer  his  last  prayers, 
the  power  of  utterance  was  lost,  and  he  died  in  a  few 
minutes  without  a  struggle. — The  Book  of  Death. 

The  last  words  that  passed  his  dying  lips  were  a 
message  to  Lady  Hester  Stanhope,  the  niece  of  Pitt, 
afterwards  so  famous  for  her  eccentricity,  as  her 
father  had  been  before  her.  To  her,  to  whom  he  is 
said  to  have  been  deeply  attached,  if  not  engaged,  he 
sent  his  dying  remembrances  by  her  brother,  one  of 
his  aides-de-camp,  and  then  passed  peacefully  into 
the  presence  of  his  God. — Cornhill  Magazine. 

^  It  has  been  generally  supposed  that  the  burial  of  Sir  John 
Moore,  who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Corunna,  in  1809,  took  place 
during  the  night,  an  error  which  doubtless  arose  from  the 
statement  to  that  effect  in  Wolfe's  celebrated  lines.  Rev.  Mr. 
Symons,  who  was  the  clergyman  on  the  occasion,  states,  how- 
ever, in  "  Notes  and  Queries,"  that  the  burial  took  place  in 
the  morning,  in  broad  day-light. 

199 


Xast  Mor^s  ot 

More  (Sir  Thomas,  author  of  "Utopia."  He 
succeeded  Wolsey  as  lord  chancellor,  a  dignity  never 
before  filled  by  a  common  lawyer.  He  refused  to 
take  the  oath  to  maintain  the  lawfulness  of  the  mar- 
riage of  Henry  VHI.  with  Anne  Boleyn,  and  was 
therefore  adjudged  guilty  of  high  treason,  and  con- 
demned to  death.  He  was  beheaded  July  6,  1535), 
1480-1535.  "  /  pray  you  see  me  safe  up  the  scaffold; 
as  for  my  coining  doivn,  let  me  shift  for  myself." 
Some  say  his  last  words  were  these,  addressed  to  the 
executioner,  "  Stay  friend  till  I  put  aside  my  beard, 
for  that  never  committed  treason." 

More  (Hannah,  poet,  essayist  and  moralist), 
1744-1833-    "Joy." 

Morris  (Gouverneur,  American  Statesman), 
1752-1816. 

Courageously  he  had  lived,  and  courageously  he 

met  the  great  change,  with  entire  resignation  to  the 

Divine  will.     "  Sixty-four  years  ago,"  he  said  just 

before  his  death,  "  it  pleased  the  Almighty  to  call 

me  into  existence — here,  on  this  spot,  in  this  very 

room ;  and  now  shall  I  complain  that  he  is  pleased  to 

call  me  hence?  "     On  the  day  of  his  death  he  asked 

about  the  weather,  and,  on  being  told  that  it  was  fair, 

he  replied :     "  A  beautiful  day,  yes,  but — 

"  '  Who,  to  dumb  forgetfnlness  a  prey, 

This   pleasing,    anxious    being   e'er    resign'd; 
Left  the  warm  precincts  of  the  cheerful  day. 
Nor  cast  one  longing  lingering  look  behind?'" 

— Diary  and  Letters  of  Gouverneur  Morris. 

200 


Dtstfnc5ulsbe&  /iDen  ant)  Momen 

Morton  (Oliver  Perry,  American  Statesman), 
1823-1877.  ""/  am  dying,  I  am  worn  out,"  to  Dr. 
Thompson  who  was  standing  by  his  bed  and  holding 
his  hand, 

MoTHE  LE  Vayer  de  LA  (This  learned  man's 
favorite  amusement  consisted  in  the  study  of  dis- 
tant countries),  1588- 1672.  "  Well,  my  friend, 
what  news  from  the  Great  Mogul f"  The  question 
was  addressed  to  Bernier,  the  traveller,  who  had 
entered  his  room  to  bid  him  an  affectionate  and  last 
farewell. 

Motley  (John  Lothrop,  distinguished  historian), 
1814-1877.    "  /  am  ill — very  ill,  I  shall  not  recover." 

About  two  o'clock  in  the  day  he  complained  of  a 
feeling  of  faintness,  said  he  felt  ill  and  should  not 
recover;  and  in  a  few  minutes  was  insensible  with 
symptoms  of  ingravescent  apoplexy.  There  was  ex- 
tensive hemorrhage  into  the  brain,  as  shown  by  post- 
mortem examination,  the  cerebral  vessels  being 
atheromatous.  The  fatal  hemorrhage  had  occurred 
into  the  lateral  ventricles,  from  rupture  of  one  of  the 
middle  cerebral  arteries. 
'Sir  William  W.  Gull's  account  of  Motley's  death. 

Mozart  (Johann  Chrysostom  Wolfgang  Ama- 
deus,  one  of  the  most  eminent  of  musical  com- 
posers), 1 756- 1 792.  The  last  words  which  he  ad- 
dressed to  Sophie  Haibl  were,  "  I  have  the  flavour 
of  death  on  my  tongue.     I  taste  death;  and  who  will 

201 


Xast  Mor^s  ot 

support  my  dearest  Constanze  if  you  do  not  stay 
with  her?"  Later  he  conversed  with  Siissmayer 
Over  the  Requiem  and  was  heard  to  say,  "  Did  I  not 
say  that  I  was  writing  the  Requiem  for  myself  f  " 
This  he  said  with  tears  in  his  eyes  as  he  looked  at 
the  notes. 

Just  before  death  he  demanded  to  hear  again  the 
Requiem.  Dr.  Clossel,  his  physician,  nodded  his 
consent.  Siissmayer  sat  down  at  the  piano,  Schack 
sang  the  soprano,  Hofer  the  tenor,  Gorl  the  bass, 
and  the  dying  Mozart  the  aUo.  Softly  swelled  forth 
the  ineffable  music  of  the  sweet,  sorrowful,  sacred 
death  song.  After  this  the  chamber  was  silent  as  the 
grave.  Only  the  clock  ticked  softly  on  the  shelf, 
as  it  marked  the  weary  hours  of  the  passing  night. 
— Condensed  from  Sill's  translation  of  Rail's  Bio- 
graphical Romance  of  Mozart. 

After  all  consciousness  had  gone,  still  Mozart's 
fancies  were  busy  with  the  Requiem,  blowing  out  his 
cheeks  to  imitate  the  trumpets  and  drums.  Toward 
midnight  he  raised  himself,  opened  his  eyes  wide, 
then  lay  down  with  his  face  to  the  wall  and  seemed 
to  fall  asleep.    At  one  o'clock  he  expired. 

The  swelling  of  Mozart's  body  after  death  led  to 
the  suspicion  that  he  had  been  poisoned.  But  there 
was  no  other  ground  for  the  suspicion  than  Mozart's 
diseased  fancies,  which  gave  rise  to  the  most  shame- 
ful and  unfortunate  distrust  of  Salieri,  who,  it  was 
reported,  acknowledged  upon  his  deathbed  having 
administered  poison  to  Mozart.    All  these  suspicions 

202 


2)istinouisbe&  /iDen  an&  Momen 

were  fully  laid  to  rest  by  Carpani  in  the  Biblioteca 
Italiana,  1824.  * 

Muhlenberg  (Rev.  William  Augustus,  founder 
of  St.  Luke's  Hospital  in  New  York,  and  author  of 
the  hymn,  "I  would  not  live  alway"),  1796-1877. 
"  Good  morning,"  spoken  to  a  friend  who  entered 
the  room. 

Murphy  (Arthur,  dramatic  author,  and  trans- 
lator), 1 728- 1 805.  He  died  repeating  the  lines  of 
Pope: 

"  Taught,   half  by   reason,   half   by   mere   decay, 
To  zvclcome  death,  and  calmly  pass  away." 

Nadir  Shah  (Kouli  Khan,  celebrated  Persian 
conqueror),  1688- 1747.  "Thou  dog!"  addressed 
to  one  of  the  conspirators  who  slew  him  in  his  tent, 
June  19,  1747. 

When  Nadir  invaded  India  in  1739,  he  arrived 
first  at  Lahore ;  where  the  governor  immediately 
surrendered  the  city  to  him,  and  treated  him  with 
princely    honours.      At    night    Nadir,    whose   only 


'  A  common  undistinguished  grave  received  the  coffin,  which 
was  then  left  without  memorial — almost  forgotten — for  nearly 
twenty  years ;  and  when,  in  1808,  some  inquiries  were  made 
as  to  the  precise  spot  of  the  interment,  all  that  the  sexton 
could  tell  was  that,  at  the  latter  end  of  1791,  the  space  about 
the  third  and  fourth  row  from  the  cross  was  being  occupied 
with  graves ;  but  the  contents  of  these  graves  being  from  time 
to  time  exhumed,  nothing  could  be  determined  concerning 
that  which  was  once  Mozart. — Home's  "  Life  of  Mozart." 

203 


Xast  Mor&6  ot 

couch,  for  months  past,  had  been  a  horse-blanket, 
with  a  saddle  for  a  pillow,  was  conducted  to  a  mag- 
nificent bed,  with  piles  of  cushions;  and  twelve 
young  damsels  were  in  attendance  to  shampoo  his 
limbs  and  fan  him  to  sleep.  Nadir  started  from 
his  luxurious  couch,  roared  for  his  secretary,  and 
gave  orders  that  the  drums  should  be  beat,  and  a 
proclamation  made  that  Nadir  had  conquered  all 
India.  The  astonished  scribe  ventured  to  hint  that 
this  conquest  had  not  yet  been  accomplished.  "  No 
matter,"  said  Nadir,  "  where  the  chiefs  of  the  people 
choose  to  live  in  this  effeminate  manner,  it  will  cost 
me  little  trouble  to  conquer  them."  And  his  antici- 
pation was  fully  verified.  After  he  had  taken  the 
city  of  Delhi,  he  visited  the  discomfited  Emperor, 
who  received  him  in  fear  and  trembling.  Nadir 
was  seated  in  the  chair  of  state,  and  the  attar  of  roses 
and  other  perfumes  were  brought,  according  to  cus- 
tom and  presented  to  him.  Nadir  had  not  changed 
his  clothes  or  taken  off  his  armor  for  many  days, 
and  his  person  was  by  no  means  free  from  vermin.  He 
asked  contemptuously  what  was  the  use  of  perfum- 
ing a  soldier's  garments;  and,  thrusting  his  hand 
into  his  bosom,  drew  forth  a  number  of  lice,  which 
he  told  the  astonished  Emperor  were  better  com- 
panions than  all  his  sweet  scents.  Nadir  had  or- 
dered a  splendid  mausoleum  to  be  built  for  himself 
at  Mush'hcd,  in  Khorassan ;  and  on  his  return  from 
India  he  went  to  see  it.  The  night  before  he  visited 
his    intended    resting-place,    some    unfriendly    wag 

204 


2)lstinguisbeD  /iDen  an&  Motnen 

wrote  above  the  spot  destined  for  his  grave — 
"  Welcome,  conqueror  of  the  world !  your  place  here 
has  long  been  empty."  The  wag  had  in  mind 
Nadir's  common  salutation  to  a  friend  who  had 
been  long  absent,  "  Your  place  has  been  long  empty." 
Nadir  offered  a  reward  for  the  discovery  of  the 
writer,  but  never  succeeded  in  finding  out  who  he 
was.  The  place  was  not  long  empty,  for  Nadir  was 
assassinated  soon  after;  and  here  his  remains  rested 
till  they  were  dug  up  and  desecrated  by  Agha  Mo- 
hammed. 
Welhy:  "  Predictions  Realised  in  Modern  Times." 

Nani  (Giambattista  Felice  Gasparo,  author  of 
"  Istaria  della  Republica  Veneta"),  1616-1678. 
"  Hozv  beautiful! " 

Napoleon  I.  (Napoleon  Bonaparte),  1 769-1 821. 
"  Mon  Dieu!  La  Nation  Frangaise!  Tete  d'armee," 
He  died  on  the  island  of  St.  Helena,  May  5,  182 1. 
In  1840  his  remains  were  removed  to  France  and 
deposited  in  the  Hotel  des  Invalides.  ^ 

During  the  last  nine  days  of  his  life  he  was  con- 
stantly delirious.  On  the  morning  of  May  5th  he 
uttered     some     incoherent     words,     among    which 


^  The  heart  of  the  first  Napoleon  had  a  narrow  escape  from 
disappearing  forever,  elsewhere  than  in  the  tomb.  It  is 
recorded  that  when  he  died  at  St.  Helena  his  heart  was 
extracted  for  preservation.  The  English  physician  who  had 
charge  of  it  placed  it  in  a  silver  basin  containing  water,  and 
leaving  tapers  burning  beside  it  retired  to  rest.     Sleep,  how- 

205 


Xast  Mor&5  of 

Montholon  fancied  that  he  distinguished,  "  France 
.  .  .  armee  .  .  .  tete  d'armec."  As  the  patient 
uttered  these  words  he  sprang  from  the  bed,  dragging 
Montholon,  who  endeavored  to  restrain  him,  on  the 
floor.  It  was  the  last  effort  of  that  formidable  energy. 
He  was  with  difficulty  replaced  in  bed  by  Montholon 
and  Archambault,  and  then  lay  quietly  till  near  six 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  when  he  yielded  his  last 
breath.  A  great  storm  was  raging  outside,  which 
shook  the  frail  huts  of  the  soldiers  as  with  an  earth- 
quake, tore  up  the  trees  that  the  Emperor  had 
planted,  and  uprooted  the  willow  under  which  he 
was  accustomed  to  repose.  Within,  the  faithful 
Marchand  was  covering  the  corpse  with  the  cloak 
which  the  young  conqueror  had  worn  at  Marengo. 

Lord  Rosehery. 

Napoleon  III.  (Louis  Napoleon,  "  The  Little," 
"  Ratipole,"  "  The  Man  of  Sedan,"  "  The  Man  of 
December,"  "  Boustrapa,"  "  Badinguet  "  and  "  The 
Comte  d'Arenenberg "),  1808-1873.  "Were  you 
at  Sedan?  "  He  asked  the  question  of  Dr.  Conneau. 
It  was  at  Sedan  that  he  surrendered  his  sword  to  the 
King  of  Prussia, 


ever,  visited  him  not,  and  suddenly,  breaking  the  silence,  he 
heard  first  a  rustling,  then  a  plunge  in  the  water  of  the 
basin,  then  a  fall  with  a  rebound  on  the  floor,  all  in  quick 
succession.  Springing  from  his  couch,  the  physician  saw 
an  enormous  rat  dragging  Bonaparte's  heart  to  its  hole ;  in 
a  few  moments  more  it  would  have  formed  a  meal  for  rats. 

206 


H)istfnouisbe&  /iDen  an^  Momen 

Nares  (Rev.  Edward,  "Thinks  I  to  myself"), 
1 762- 1 84 1.    "  Good-hye." 

Naruszewicz  (Adam  Stanislas,  "The  Polish 
Tacitus"),  1 733- 1 796.  "Must  I  leave  it  unfin- 
ished^"    He  referred  to  his  "  History  of  Poland." 

Neander  (Johann  August,  the  celebrated  church 
historian.  He  was  of  Jewish  descent,  but  early  in 
life  embraced  the  Christian  faith,  and  at  his  baptism 
assumed  the  name  "  Neander,"  from  two  Greek 
words  signifying  a  new  man),  1789-1850.  "/  am 
weary;  I  will  now  go  to  sleep.     Good  night!  " 

Nelson  (Horatio),  1758-1805.  "Thank  God, 
I  have  done  my  duty."  He  died  in  battle.  Some 
say  his  last  words  were :  "  Kiss  me,  Hardy."  Others 
give  them  thus :  "  Tell  Collingwood  to  bring  the 
fleet  to  anchor." 

His  ever-memorable  signal  to  his  fleet,  immedi- 
ately before  the  battle  commenced,  had  been;  "  Eng- 
land expects  every  man  to  do  his  dut}'-,"  and  if  ever 
a  man  lived  and  died  in  earnest,  fearless,  unselfish 
discharge  of  his  duty  to  his  country,  it  was  Admiral 
Nelson,  victor  of  the  Nile,  Copenhagen  and 
Trafalgar. — Appletons  Cydopcedia  of  Biography. 

Nero  (Lucius  Domitius  Claudius  C?esar,  Em- 
peror of  Rome),   37-68.  "  Qualis  artifex  pereo!" 

The  poor  wretch  who,  without  a  pang,  had  caused 
so  many  brave  Romans  and  so  many  innocent  Chris- 

207 


Xast  Mor&0  ot 

tians  to  be  murdered,  could  not  summon  up  resolu- 
tion to  die.  He  devised  every  operatic  incident  of 
which  he  could  think.  When  even  his  most  degraded 
slaves  urged  him  to  have  sufficient  manliness  to  save 
himself  from  the  fearful  infamies  which  otherwise 
awaited  him,  he  ordered  his  grave  to  be  dug,  and 
fragments  of  marble  to  be  collected  for  its  adorn- 
ment, and  water  and  wood  for  his  funeral  pyre,  per- 
petually whining:  "What  an  artist  to  perish!" 
Meanwhile  a  courier  arrived  for  Phaon.  Nero 
snatched  his  dispatches  out  of  his  hand,  and  read  that 
the  Senate  had  decided  that  he  should  be  punished 
in  the  ancestral  fashion  as  a  public  enemy.  Asking 
what  the  ancestral  fashion  was,  he  was  informed 
that  he  would  be  stripped  naked  and  scourged  to 
death  with  rods,  with'  his  head  thrust  into  a  fork. 
Horrified  at  this,  he  seized  two  daggers,  and  after 
theatrically  trying  their  edges,  sheathed  them  again, 
with  the  excuse  that  the  fatal  moment  had  not  yet 
arrived!  Then  he  bade  Sparus  begin  to  sing  his 
funeral  song,  and  begged  some  one  to  show  him 
how  to  die.  Even  his  own  intense  shame  at  his 
cowardice  was  an  insufficient  stimulus,  and  he  whiled 
away  the  time  in  vapid  epigrams  and  pompous  quo- 
tations. The  sound  of  horses'  hoofs  then  broke  on 
his  ears,  and  venting  one  more  Greek  quotation,  he 
held  the  dagger  to  his  throat.  It  was  driven  home 
by  Epaphroditus,  one  of  his  literary  slaves.  At  this 
moment  the  centurion  who  came  to  arrest  him 
rushed  in.     Nero  was  not  yet  dead,  and  under  pre- 

208 


2)l5tinoui5be&  /IDen  an&  Moinen 

tense  of  helping  liini,  the  centurion  began  to  stanch 
the  wound  with  his  cloak.  "  Too  late,"  he  said;  "  is 
this  your  fidelity?  "  So  he  died;  and  the  bystanders 
were  horrified  with  the  way  in  which  his  eyes  seemed 
to  be  starting  out  of  his  head  in  a  rigid  stare.  He 
had  begged  that  his  body  might  be  burned  without 
posthumous  insults,  and  this  was  conceded  by  Icelus, 
the  freedman  of  Galba. 

Farrar:  "  Early  Days  of  Christianity." 
It  was  the  remark  of  Nero's  father,  Ahenobarbus, 
that  nothing  but  what  was  hateful  and  pernicious 
to  mankind  could  ever  come  from  Agrippina  and 
himself.  Yet  the  story  of  a  strange  hand  that 
strewed  flowers  upon  the  tomb  of  this  tyrant  is  well 
known. 

Newell  (Harriet,  missionary  in  India),  1793- 
1812.  "'  The  pains,  the  groans,  the  dying  strife. 
How  long,  O  Lord,  how  long?  " 

Newport  (Francis,  once  famous  as  an  opponent 
of  Christianity).  "  Oh,  the  insufferable  pangs  of  hell 
and  damnation!  "    Died  1692. 

Newton  (John,  English  divine.  His  early  life 
was  that  of  a  profligate  sailor  engaged  in  the  Afri- 
can slave-trade.  After  his  conversion  he  became  the 
friend  of  the  poet  Cowper,  and  with  him  wrote  the 
"  Olney  Hymns"),  1725-1807.  "/  am  satisfied 
with  the  Lord's  will."     Last  recorded  words. 

209 


Xast  Mor50  of 

Newton  (Richard,  an  English  divine,  founder  of 
Hertford  College,  Oxford),  1676-1753.  ''Christ 
Jesus  the  Saviour  of  sinners  and  life  of  the  dead.  I 
am  going,  going  to  Glory!  Farezvell  sin!  Farewell 
death!  Praise  the  Lord!" 

NoTT  (Eliphalet,  American  clergyman,  Presi- 
dent of  Union  College,  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  for  more 
than  sixty  years),  1773- 1866.  "One  word,  on€ 
word — Jesus  Christ!  " 

NouRSE  (Rebecca,  a  good  and  brave  woman  who, 
in  the  old  Puritan-days,  suffered  as  a  witch  at  Salem, 
Mass.),  162 1- 1692.  Her  last  words  are  not  pre- 
served, but  it  is  recorded  that  just  before  her  death 
she  declared  her  innocence  and  appealed  to  the  judg- 
ment of  Almighty  God.  The  story  of  her  death 
forms  one  of  the  saddest  of  the  many  distressing 
chapters  in  the  history  of  early  New  England. 

Mrs.  Nourse  was  a  very  devout  woman,  and  prob- 
ably the  hardest  blow  of  all  was  the  action  of  the 
First  Congregational  Church,  of  which  she  was  a 
member.    The  records  still  preserved  read  as  follows : 

"  After  Sacrament  the  elders  propounded  to  the 
church,  and  it  was  by  unanimous  vote  consented  to, 
that  our  Sister  Nourse,  being  a  convicted  witch,  and 
condemned  to  die,  be  excommunicated,  which  was 
accordingly  done  in  the  afternoon,  she  being 
present." 

The  scene  presented  on  this  occasion  must  have 
210 


DistinouisbeC)  /IDen  an&  Momen 

been  as  impressive  at  the  time,  as  it  is  shocking 
to  us  in  the  retrospect.  The  spacious  meeting-house 
was  filled  with  people.  The  sheriff,  accompanied  by 
his  deputy  brought  in  the  prisoner,  manacled,  with 
the  chains  clanking  from  her  side.  The  two  elders, 
Higginson  and  Noyes,  as  the  clergy  were  then  called, 
delivered  an  address  over  the  sorrow-burdened 
form  condemning  her  to  eternal  punishment. 

Then  came  the  day  of  execution,  July  19,  1692. 
At  an  early  hour  the  little  village  was  bristling  with 
activity.  "  The  devil's  angel  on  earth  "  was  to  be 
punished  with  the  death  she  deserved,  and  so  the 
Puritan  maidens  attired  themselves  in  holiday  dress 
to  honor  the  event.  The  procession  to  the  gallows 
was  a  long  one,  scores  of  people  from  the  neighbor- 
ing tow^ns  and  villages  taking  part.  The  victim, 
manacled  and  guarded  by  the  sheriff  and  his  deputy, 
headed  the  line,  while  close  behind  followed  troops 
of  men  and  women  who  laughed,  deeming  it  rare 
sport  to  see  the  agonized  faces  of  the  terror-stricken 
family  as  they  watched  the  mother  and  wife  grow 
pale,  and  tremble  as  she  began  the  ascent  of  the 
rocky  cliff  whose  top  was  crowned  with  the  instru- 
ment of  death.  It  is  impossible  in  words  to  depict 
the  scene  of  the  execution  in  the  horrible  colors  in 
which  tradition  has  painted  it.  With  firm  steps  and 
eyes  upturned  to  heaven,  the  gray-haired  woman 
took  her  place  on  the  drop.  Silently  the  hangman 
tied  the  rope  before  the  eager  waiting  assembly; 
then  a  momentary  hush  passed  over  the  crowd — 

211 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

the  executioner's  duty  was  done.  A  moment  later  all 
that  was  left  to  tell  the  story  was  the  body  of  the 
aged  woman  swinging  gently  in  the  summer  wind. 

Seldom  has  a  woman  met  with  a  harder  fate.  Her 
body  was  thrown  with  the  previous  victims  into  a 
hole  in  a  crevice  of  the  rocks,  and  hastily  covered 
with  earth.  Then  the  masses  of  spectators  turned 
homeward,  leaving  the  bereaved  family  at  the  home- 
stead uncared  for  and  ignored  by  their  once  firm 
friends. 

It  is  a  family  tradition  that  in  some  way  the  re- 
mains of  Mrs.  Nourse  were  recovered  by  her  hus- 
band and  sons  and  interred  in  the  spot  which  is  now 
pointed  out  on  the  estate  as  her  grave.  Imagination 
only  can  recall  the  details  of  the  event,  so  sad  and 
awful.  In  the  darkness  of  night  the  sons  hasten 
to  the  new-made  grave,  throw  off  the  slight  covering 
of  earth,  and  by  the  feeble  light  of  a  lantern  discover 
the  remains.  What  feelings  of  revenge  and  sorrow 
must  have  stirred  their  hearts  as  they  raised  their 
mother's  soulless  frame  tenderly  in  their  arms,  and 
carried  it  along  through  woods  and  valleys,  over 
highways  and  fields  to  the  homestead,  where,  on  the 
following  night,  the  three  pronounced  the  only  burial 
service  over  the  remains,  as  they  lowered  the  body 
into  a  newly-made  grave  in  their  own  consecrated 
grounds,  which  down  through  the  generations  has 
been  reverently  guarded. 

A  beautiful  shaft  of  granite  has  been  erected  over 
her  grave  by  her  descendants.    The  monument  is  of 

212 


S)fstfn(jufsbe&  /iDeu  an^  Momen 

Rockport  and  Quincy  granite,  and  is  eight  and  a  half 
feet  high.  The  base  and  apex  are  of  Rockport  gran- 
ite, and  the  die  of  Quincy  granite,  poHshed  and  let- 
tered as  follows : 

REBECCA   NOURSE. 

YARMOUTH,  ENGLAND. 
162I. 
SALEM,  MASS. 
1692. 
O  Christian  martyr,  who  for  truth  could  die, 
When  all  about  thee  owned  the  hideous  lie, 
The  world  redeemed  from  superstition's  sway, 
Goes  breathing  freer,  for  thy  sake,  to-day. 

(On  the  reverse.) 

Accused  of  witchcraft,  she  declared,  "  I  am  inno- 
cent, and  God  will  clear  my  innocency."  Once  ac- 
quitted, yet  falsely  condemned,  she  suffered  death 
July  19,  1692. 

In  loving  memory  of  her  Christian  character,  even 
then  fully  attested  by  forty  of  her  neighbors,  this 
monument  is  erected  July,  1885. 

Ney  (famous  French  marshal,  "The  bravest  of 
the  brave"),  1769-1815.  "Soldiers — fire!"  said 
to  the  soldiers  appointed  to  dispatch  him. 

Some  say  his  last  words  were :  "  Comrades, 
straight  to  the  heart,  fire !  "  While  repeating  these 
words,  he  took  ofif  his  hat,  it  is  said,  with  his  left 
hand,  and  placed  his  right  hand  upon  his  heart. 
The  officer  gave  the  signal  with  sword  at  the  same 
moment,  and  the  marshal  instantly  fell  dead,  pierced 

213 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

with  twelve  balls,  three  of  which  took  effect  in  the 
head. 

NoYES  (John,  the  martyr).  '"  We  shall  not  lose 
our  lives  in  this  fire,  but  change  them  for  a  better, 
and  for  coals,  have  pearls,"  said  to  a  fellow  martyr. 

Oates  (Titus),  about  1619-1705.  "It  is  all  the 
same  in  the  end." 

Titus  Oates  was  the  son  of  an  anabaptist  minister, 
but  was  educated  for  the  Church  of  England,  and 
received  an  appointment  as  chaplain  in  the  royal 
navy.  He  was  dismissed  in  disgrace  from  the 
navy,  and  united  with  the  Jesuits.  Later  he  rejoined 
the  Church  of  England,  and  revealed  a  pretended 
popish  plot,  which  resulted  in  the  execution  and  im- 
prisonment of  many  innocent  persons.  For  this  he 
received  a  large  pension,  and  was  granted  a  resi- 
dence at  Whitehall,  where  he  lived  until  the  death  of 
Charles  II.  Under  King  James  he  was  convicted  of 
perjury  and  publicly  whipped.  William  III.  pen- 
sioned him. 

An  old  acrostic,  in  a  book  published  by  Nat. 
Thompson,  the  bookseller,  "  at  the  entrance  into  the 
Old  Spring  Garden  near  Charing  Cross,"  during  the 
reign  of  Charles  II.,  has  this  choice  description  of 
Titus  Oates : 

Trayter  to  God,  damn'd  source  of.  blasphemy, 
Insect  of  hell,  grand  mass  of  perjury; 
Thorough-pac'd  villain,   second  unto  none, 
Unless  to  Judas  (if  by  him  out-done), 

214 


E>tstiuoui5bet)  riDen  ant>  Momen 

Satan's  black  agent,  hell's  monopoly, 
Of  all  that's  called  sin  and  villainy; 
Accursed  parent  of  an  hell-bred  brood, 
Teacher  of  lies,  spiller  of  guiltless  blood; 
England's  dark  cloud,  eclipsing  all  her  glory ; 
Satan's  delight,  and  hell's  repository. 

O'Carolan,  or  Carolan  (Turlough,  famous 
Irish  bard  and  musical  composer),  1670- 1738.  "It 
would  he  hard  indeed  if  zve  two  dear  friends  should 
part  after  so  many  years,  without  one  szveet  kiss." 
These  words  were  spoken  to  a  bowl  of  wine  which  he 
kissed  when  he  was  no  longer  able  to  drink. 

Oliver  (Francois,  Chancellor  of  France),  1497- 
1560.  "  O  Cardinal!  thou  zcilt  make  us  all  to  be 
damned/'  to  Cardinal  Lorrain  under  whom  he  had 
condemned  to  death  many  innocent  men  for  their 
faith.  He  fell  sick  through  remorse,  and  in  his  de- 
lirium charged  Cardinal  Lorrain  with  bringing  down 
upon  him  the  wrath  of  God. 

Orange  (William,  Prince  of,  called  "William 
the  Silent,"  founder  of  the  Dutch  Republic),  1533- 
1584.  "I  do"  in  response  to  his  sister's  question, 
"  Dost  thou  commend  thy  soul  to  Jesus  Christ?  " 

William  staggered  and  fell  into  the  arms  of  an 
equerry.  All  crowded  round.  "  I  am  wounded," 
said  William  in  a  feeble  voice.  .  .  .  God  have 
mercy  on  me  and  on  my  poor  people !  "  He  was  all 
covered  with  blood.  His  sister,  Catherine  of 
Schwartzburg,  asked,  "  Dost  thou  commend  thy  soul 
to  Jesus  Christ?"    He  answered,  in  a  whisper,  "I 

215 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

do."  It  was  his  last  word.  They  placed  him  on  one 
of  the  steps  and  spoke  to  him,  but  he  was  no  longer 
conscious.  They  then  bore  him  into  a  room  near  by, 
where  he  died. — De  Amicis:  "Holland." 

The  assassin  was  put  to  death  by  the  Dutch,  but 
his  parents  were  ennobled  and  richly  rewarded  by 
Philip  II.  of  Spain.  Philip  had  offered  a  reward 
for  the  prince's  murder,  and  five  separate  attempts 
had  been  made  previously  to  kill  him. 

Orleans  (Louis  Philippe  Joseph,  Due  d',  sur- 
named  "figalite"),  1747- 1793.  "They  will  come 
off  better  after:  let  us  have  done,"  to  the  executioner 
who  was  about  to  draw  off  the  duke's  boots. 

Owen  (Robert,  socialistic  writer  and  philanthro- 
pist), 1771-1858.     "Relief  has  come" 

Owen  (John,  English  non-conformist  divine  and 
author,  chaplain  to  Cromwell,  Dean  of  Christ  Church, 
Oxford,  in  1651,  Vice-Chancellor  of  the  University 
of  Oxford.  He  was  a  man  of  great  ability  and  de- 
voted piety),  1616-1683.  The  first  sheet  of  his 
"  Meditations  on  the  Glory  of  Christ  "  had  passed 
through  the  press  under  the  superintendence  of  the 
Rev.  William  Payne ;  .  .  .  .  and  on  that  per- 
son calling  on  him  to  inform  him  of  the  circum- 
stances, on  the  morning  of  the  day  he  died,  he  ex- 
claimed with  uplifted  hands,  and  eyes  looking  up- 
ward, "  I  am  glad  to  hear  it;  but,  0  brother  Payne! 
the  long-wished-for  day  is  come  at  last,  in  zvhich  I 

216 


5)i0tf noui6be^  fft^cn  an^  Momen 

shall  see  that  glory  in  another  manner  than  I  have 
ever  done,  or  zvas  capable  of  doing,  in  this  zvorld." 
From  Quotation  in  Allibone. 

Paine  (Thomas,  author  of  "  Common  Sense," 
"  The  Rights  of  Man  "  and  "  The  Age  of  Reason  *'), 
1 737- 1 809.  "  I  have  no  ivish  to  believe  on  that  sub- 
ject.'' These  words  were  in  answer  to  his  physi- 
cian's inquiry :  "  Do  you  wish  to  beheve  that  Jesus 
is  the  Son  of  God?  " 

There  is  a  dispute  with  regard  to  Paine's  death. 
Some  writers  say  he  recanted  and  became  a  Chris- 
tian, while  others  affirm  that  he  died  as  he  lived — 
an  avowed  Deist.  In  his  last  will  and  testament  he 
says :  "I  have  lived  an  honest  and  useful  life  to 
mankind ;  my  time  has  been  spent  in  doing  good ; 
and  I  die  in  perfect  composure  and  resignation  to 
the  will  of  my  creator,  God."  On  the  other  hand 
some  authors  say  that  he  was  grossly  intemperate 
and  licentious,  and  that  he  discarded  Christianity, 
not  so  much  from  conviction  as  from  a  base  desire  to 
lead  a  bad  life. 

"  In  1802,  he  (Paine)  returned  to  America  and 
resided  a  part  of  the  time  on  a  farm  at  New  Rochelle, 
presented  to  him  by  the  State  of  New  York  for  his 
Revolutionary  service.  Paine  became  very  intem- 
perate, and  fell  low  in  the  social  scale,  not  only  on 
account  of  his  beastly  habits,  but  because  of  his  blas- 
phemous tirade  against  Christianity." 

Lossing  in  "  Our  Countrymen." 
217 


Xast  1RIlort>s  ot 

Of  Paine's  last  hours  Rev.  O.  B.  Frothingham 
speaks  as  follows : 

"  The  truth  is,  that  Paine,  though  not  rich,  was  in 
comfortable  circumstances.  He  had  considerable 
property,  which  is  specified  in  his  will.  His  sick 
bed  was  surrounded  by  friends  who  ministered  to  his 
wants,  witnessed  the  firmness  and  calmness  of  his 
last  hours,-  and  attested  the  sincerity  and  sufficiency 
of  his  convictions.  Not  even  the  impertinent  intru- 
siveness  of  the  clergy  disturbed  the  entire  serenity  of 
his  death." 

The  commonly  received  opinion,  and  most  likely 
the  correct  one,  with  regard  to  Paine  is  this  which 
we  excerpt  from  Appleton's  Cydopccdia  of  Biog- 
raphy: 

"  His  attacks  upon  religion  had  exceedingly  nar- 
rowed his  circle  of  acquaintance;  and  his  habitual 
intemperance  tended  to  the  injury  of  his  health  and 
the  ultimate  production  of  a  complication  of  dis- 
orders, to  which  he  fell  a  victim  in  1809.  The 
Quakers  refused  to  admit  his  remains  among  their 
dead,  and  he  was  buried  on  his  own  farm.  Cobbett 
boasted  of  having  disinterred  him  in  18 17,  and  of 
having  brought  his  body  to  England;  many,  how- 
ever, assert  that  Cobbett  did  not  take  that  trouble,  but 
brought  over  from  America  the  remains  of  a  crim- 
inal who  had  been  executed."^ 


*  The  effects  of  Mr.  Cobbett  were  sold  by  auction,  in  1836; 
and  the  bones  brought  forward  to  be  offered  for  competition. 
The  auctioneer,  however,  refused  to  put  them  up;  and  they 

218 


S)t0tfnautsbe&  /iDen  anD  Momen 

Palmer  (John,  English  actor  of  considerable 
merit),  1742-1798.  "There  is  another  and  a  better 
world." 

His  death  took  place  on  the  stage  of  the  Liverpool 


were  withdrawn,  and  remained  in  the  possession  of  the  re- 
ceiver. This  gentleman,  desiring  to  be  relieved,  awaited  the 
orders  o£  the  Lord  Chancellor ;  but  the  latter,  upon  the  matter 
being  mentioned  to  him  in  court,  refused  to  recognize  them  as 
part  of  the  estate,  or  make  any  order  respecting  them.  The 
receiver  thus  continued  to  hold  them ;  but  finding  that  none 
of  the  creditors  would  relieve  him  of  them,  or,  indeed,  make 
inquiry  about  them,  he  transferred  them,  in  1844,  to  a  Mr. 
Tilley,  who  retained  them  in  his  possession  until  a  public 
funeral  could  be  arranged.  I  have  never  heard  that  this 
has  been  done,  and  know  nothing  more  of  these  Thomae 
venerabilis  ossa. — William  Bates:  "  The  Maclise  Portrait 
Gallery." 

Ode  to  the  Bones  of  the  Im-mortal  Thomas  Paine,  newly 
transported  from  America  to  England,  by  the  no  less  Im- 
mortal IVilliam  Cobbett,  Esq.,  by  Thomas  Rodd,  Senr.,  the 
Bookseller  (London,  1819,  4to).  A  Brief  History  of  the  Re- 
mains of  the  late  Thomas  Paine,  from  the  time  of  their  dis- 
interment, in  1819,  by  the  late  William  Cobbett,  M.P.,  down 
to  the  year  1846  (London,  Watson,  1847)  ;  and  Notes  and 
Queries,  Fourth  Series. 

"  How  Tom  gets  a  living  now  ...  I  know  not,  nor 
does  it  much  signify.  He  has  done  all  the  mischief  he  can  in 
the  world ;  and  whether  his  carcase  is  at  last  to  be  suflfered 
to  rot  on  the  earth,  or  to  be  dried  in  the  air,  is  of  very  little 
consequence.  Whenever  or  wherever  he  breathes  his  last,  he 
will  excite  neither  sorrow  nor  compassion ;  no  friendly  hand 
will  close  his  eyes,  not  a  groan  will  be  uttered,  not  a  tear  will 
be  shed.  Like  Judas,  he  will  be  remembered  by  posterity ; 
men  zvill  learn  to  express  all  that  is  base,  malignant,  treacher- 
ous, unnatural,  and  blasphemous,  by  the  single  monosyllable-^- 
Paine  !  " — Life  of  Thomas  Paine,  by  William  Cobbett. 

219 


Xast  'Qmort)s  of 

Theatre  while  he  was  performing  the  character  of  the 
Stranger,  and  his  last  words  were  a  line  in  the  play. 
Palmer  was  a  man  of  acute  and  affectionate  feel- 
ings, which  had  been  much  exercised  by  the  course 
and  events  of  his  life.  He  had  recently  lost  his  wife 
and  a  favorite  son,  labored  in  consequence  under  pro- 
found grief  and  depression  of  mind  which  he  strove 
to  overcome,  and  had  expressed  a  conviction  that 
these  mental  sufferings  would  very  shortly  bring  him 
to  his  grave.  During  some  days  he  seemed,  how- 
ever, to  bear  up  against  his  misfortunes,  and  per- 
formed in  some  pieces,  including  The  Stranger,  with 
much  success.  About  a  week  afterward  he  appeared 
a  second  time  in  that  character,  when  he  fell  a  victim 
to  the  poignancy  of  his  feelings.  On  the  morning 
of  the  day  he  was  much  dejected,  but  exerted  him- 
self with  great  effect  in  the  first  and  second  acts  of 
the  play.  In  the  third  act  he  showed  evident  marks 
of  depression ;  and  in  the  fourth,  when  about  to  re- 
ply to  the  question  of  Baron  Steinfort  relative  to  his 
children,  appeared  unusually  agitated.  He  endeav- 
ored to  proceed,  but  his  feelings  overcame  him.  The 
hand  of  death  arrested  his  progress,  and  he  fell  on 
his  back,  heaved  a  convulsive  sigh  and  instantly  ex- 
pired without  a  groan.  Having  been  removed  to 
the  scene-room,  and  medical  aid  immediately  pro- 
cured, his  veins  were  opened,  but  yielded  not  a  single 
drop  of  blood,  and  every  other  means  of  resuscitation 
was  tried  without  effect.  His  death  was  by  most 
persons  ascribed  to  apoplexy;   but  Dr.  Mitchell  and 

220 


Distfnaui9be&  /IDen  anb  Momen 

Dr.  Corry  gave  it  as  their  opinion  that  he  certainly 
died  of  a  broken  heart,  in  consequence  of  the  family 
afflictions  which  he  had  recently  experienced. 

Annual  Register. 

Park  (Edwards  Amasa,  distinguished  American 
theologian,  author  and  translator,  professor  in  An- 
dover  Theological  Seminary,  and  one  of  the  editors 
of  the  "  Bibliotheca  Sacra  "),  1808- 1899.  "  These 
passages  may  be  found  on  the  following  pages." 
His  mind  was  wandering,  and,  like  Dr.  Adam,  head 
master  at  the  High  School  in  Edinburgh,  he  thought 
himself  once  more  in  the  class-room. 

Parker  (Theodore,  Unitarian  preacher  and 
writer),  18 10- 1869.  ''It  is  all  one,  Phillips  and 
Clarke  zvill  come  for  my  sake."  He  meant  that 
Wendell  Phillips  and  James  Freeman  Clarke  would 
attend  his  funeral.  He  died  at  Florence,  where  he 
had  gone  for  his  health.  The  character  of  Theodore 
Parker  was  above  reproach.  His  tone  of  morality 
was  high.  His  motives  were  elevated,  and,  appar- 
ently, sincere.  His  firm  grasp  of  some  of  the  fun- 
damental principles  of  natural  religion,  together 
with  his  unfailing  confidence  in  his  own  powers, 
gave  a  strength  to  his  utterances  of  truth  and  duty 
which  often  stirred  and  swayed  the  moral  nature  of 
his  hearers.  But  in  all  his  writings  we  find  no  ex- 
pression of  a  consciousness  of  guilt  and  of  need  as  a 
sinner,  and  no  recognition  of  Christ  as  a  Saviour. 

221 


Xast  Mor^B  of 

Of  Theodore  Parker,  Lowell  speaks  thus  wittily,  in 
his  "  Fables  for  Critics :  " 

His  hearers  can't  tell  you  on  Sunday  beforehand, 

If  in  that  day's  discourse  they'll  be  Bibled  or  Koraned, 

For  he's  seized  the  idea  (by  his  martyrdom  fired), 

That  all  men  (not  orthodox)  may  be  inspired; 

Yet  though  wisdom  profane  with  his  creed  he  may  weave  in, 

He  makes  it  quite  clear  what  he  doesn't  believe  in. 

While  some,  who  decry  him,  think  all  kingdom  come 

Is  a  sort  of  a,  kind  of  a,  species  of  Hum, 

Of  which,  as  it  were,  so  to  speak,  not  a  crumb 

Would  be  left,  if  we  didn't  keep  carefully  mum. 

And,  to  make  a  clean  breast,  that  'tis  perfectly  plain 

That  all  kinds  of  wisdom  are  somewhat  profane ; 

Now  P's  creed  than  this  may  be  lighter  or  darker, 

But  in  one  thing  'tis  clear  he  has  faith,  namely — Parker. 

And  this  is  what  makes  him  the  crowd-drawing  preacher. 

There's  a  background  of  God  to  each  hard-working  feature. 

Parkman  (Francis,  American  author),  1823- 
1893.  He  died  peacefully  about  noon  on  the  8th  of 
November,  1893,  and  was  buried  in  the  Mount 
Auburn  Cemetery.  The  last  book  he  read  was 
"  Childe  Harold,"  and  his  last  words  were  to  tell  that 
he  had  just  dreamed  of  killing  a  bear.  Though 
suffering  extremely,  he  yet  maintained  to  his  last 
hour  an  impressive  degree  of  dignity,  firmness,  gen- 
tleness and  serenity. 

Farnham:  "  Life  of  Francis  Parkman." 

Pascal  (Blaise,  one  of  the  most  profound  thinkers 
and  accomplished  writers  of  France),  1623-1662. 
"  May  God  never  forsake  me!  " 

2.2,2. 


Bfstfnoufsbet)  jflDen  anb  Momen 

Payson  (Rev.  Edward,  American  Congrega' 
tional  divine),  1783-1827.  "Faith  and  patience 
Jwld  out."  These  words  were  spoken  with  extreme 
difficulty  and  in  great  pain.  Some  report  his  last 
words  thus :     ''  I  feel  like  a  mote  in  the  sunbeam." 

Dr.  Payson  directed  that  when  he  was  dead  a  label 
should  be  attached  to  his  breast  on  which  should  be 
written,  "  Remember  the  words  I  spake  unto  you 
while  I  was  yet  present  with  you,"  that  all  who  came 
to  view  his  dead  body  might  receive  from  him  one 
more  sermon.  The  same  words  were  at  the  request 
of  his  people  engraven  upon  the  plate  of  the  coffin. 

Pellico  (Silvio,  Italian  poet,  author  of  "  Fran- 
cesca  da  Rimini  "  and  "  My  Prisons  "),  1789- 1854. 
''  O  Paradise!  O  Paradise!  At  last  comes  to  me  the 
grand  consolation.  My  prisons  disappear;  the  great 
of  earth  pass  azvay;  all  before  me  is  rest." 

Pembo  (the  hermit),  ''I  thank  God  that  not  a 
day  of  my  life  has  been  spent  in  idleness.  Never 
have  I  eaten  bread  that  I  have  not  earned  with  the 
szveat  of  my  brozv.  I  do  not  recall  any  bitter  speech 
I  have  made  for  which  I  ought  to  repent  now." 
This  suggests  the  prayer  of  the  Pharisee,  "  God,  I 
thank  thee  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  extor- 
tioners, unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this  publican. 
T  fast  twice  in  the  week;  I  give  tithes  of  all  that  I 
possess." — Luke  xviii:   11,  12. 

Penn  (William,  founder  of  Pennsylvania),  1644- 
17 18.     "To  be  like  Christ  is  to  be  a  Christian." 

223 


Xast  1imor&s  of 

Perceval  (Spencer,  distinguished  statesman,  as- 
sassinated on  the  nth  of  May,  1812,  in  the  lobby  of 
the  House  of  Commons,  by  John  Belhngham),  1762- 
1812.       "  O  my  God!" 

Pestel  (Paul,  Russian  revolutionist,  author  of 
"  Pestel's  Hymn."  He  was  a  brave  man  who  loved 
liberty,  and  desired  to  establish  it  upon  the  ruins  of 
Russian  absolutism),  1794-1826.  ''  Stupid  country, 
where  they  do  not  even  know  hozv  to  hang."  These 
words  were  spoken  when  the  rope  broke  by  which  he 
was  to  be  hanged. 

Peter  (His  original  name  was  Simon;  but  when 
he  became  a  disciple  of  Christ  he  received  the  name 
Peter,  which  in  Greek  signifies  a  "  rock."  He  was 
sometimes  called  Cephas.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  of  the  twelve  apostles  of  our  Lord,  and 
is  the  author  of  two  epistles  included  in  the  canon  of 
Scripture), — 65,  ''Remember  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  These  words  which  rest  upon  the  author- 
ity of  Eusebius,  Peter  is  said  to  have  addressed  to 
his  wife  on  seeing  her  going  to  martyrdom.  Some 
suppose  that  he  was  himself  at  the  time  suspended 
upon  the  cross,^ 

Peter  I.  (of  Russia,  "  Peter  the  Great  "),  1672- 
1725.  "/  believe.  Lord,  and  confess;  help  my  un- 
belief." 


^  It  is  said  that  Peter  was  crucified  with  his  head  down, 
himself  so  requesting,  because  he  thought  himself  unworthy 
to  be  crucified  in  the  same  manner  as  his  Lord. 

224 


Distinouisbet)  /IDen  an&  Momen 

Peter  III.  (Feodorovitch,  of  Russia,  grandson  of 
"  Peter  the  Great."  He  drew  down  upon  himself, 
by  his  innovations,  the  enmity  of  the  nobles  and 
clergy,  and  was  in  consequence  dethroned  and  stran- 
gled by  conspirators,  of  whom  his  wife,  the  profli- 
gate, cruel  and  infamous  Catherine  II.  was  an  ac- 
complice), 1728-1762.  "It  zvas  not  enough  to  de- 
prive me  of  the  Crown  of  Russia,  but  I  must  he  put 
to  death." 

Peters  (Hugh,  distinguished  clergyman  and 
politician,  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  Church 
in  Salem,  Mass.,  succeeding  Roger  Williams, 
"  whose  doctrines  he  disclaimed  and  whose  adher- 
ents he  excommunicated."  In  1637  he  was  ap- 
pointed overseer  of  Harvard.  In  1641  he  returned 
to  England,  where  he  joined  the  Parliamentary 
party,  and  became  a  chaplain  in  the  army.  After 
the  restoration  of  Charles  II.  Peters  was  committed 
to  the  Tower,  and  indicted  for  high  treason.  He 
was  executed  in  London,  Oct.  16,  1660),  1599- 
1660.  "Friend,  you  do  not  zvcll  to  trample  on  a 
dying  man." 

When  Hugh  Peters  was  carried  on  a  sledge  to  the 
scaffold,  he  was  made  to  sit  within  the  rails,  and  see 
the  execution  of  Mr.  Cook.  When  the  latter  was 
cut  down  to  be  quartered.  Colonel  Turner  ordered 
the  sheriff's  men  to  bring  Mr.  Peters  near,  that  he 
might  see  it;  and  when  soon  after  the  hangman 
rubbed  his  blood-stained  hands  together,  he  taunt- 

225 


Xast  Mort>0  ot 

ingly  asked,  "  Come,  how  do  you  like  this  work,  Mr. 
Peters?  "  He  cahnly  replied,  "  Friend,  you  do  not 
well  to  trample  on  a  dying  man." 

The  Percy  Anecdotes. 

It  was  alleged  that  Peters  was  one  of  those  that 
stood  masked  on  the  scaffold  when  the  king  was  be- 
headed, and  to  render  him  more  odious,  it  was  re- 
ported that  he  was  the  executioner.  During  his  im- 
prisonment he  wrote  several  letters  of  advice  to  his 
daughter,  which  were  published  under  the  title  of 
"  A  Dying  Father's  Legacy  to  an  Only  Child,"  of 
which  his  great-nephew,  Samuel,  said :  "  It  was 
printed  and  published  in  Old  and  New  England,  and 
myriads  of  experienced  Christians  have  read  his 
legacy  with  ecstasy  and  health  to  their  souls."  After 
execution  his  head  was  stuck  on  a  pole  and  placed  on 
London  bridge.  .  .  .  His  private  character 
has  been  the  subject  of  much  discussion.  He  was 
charged  by  his  enemies  with  gross  immorality,  and 
the  most  bitter  epithets  have  been  applied  to  him. 
Of  late  years  he  has  been  estimated  more  favorably. 

Appleton's  Cyclopcodia  of  American  Biography. 

Philip  II.  (of  Spain),  1527-1598.  '' /  die  like 
a  good  Catholic,  in  faith  and  obedience  to  the  Holy 
Roman  church." 

Soon  after  these  last  words  had  been  spoken,  a 
paroxysm,  followed  by  faintness,  came  over  him, 
and  he  lay  entirely  still.  They  had  covered  his  face 
with  a  cloth,  thinking  that  he  had  already  expired, 

226 


S)i5tinouisbe&  /IDen  an&  Momen 

when  he  suddenly  started  with  great  energy,  opened 
his  eyes,  seized  the  crucifix  again  from  the  hand  of 
Don  Fernando  de  Toledo,  kissed  it,  and  fell  back 
again  in  agony  .  .  .  He  did  not  speak  again, 
but  lay  unconsciously  dying  for  some  hours,  and 
breathed  his  last  at  five  in  the  morning  of  Sunday, 
the  13th  of  September. 

Motley:  "  History  of  the  United  Netherlands." 

Philip  III.  (of  Spain),  1578-1621 :  "Oh  zvould 
to  God  I  had  never  reigned!  Oh,  that  those  years  I 
have  spent  in  my  kingdom  I  had  lived  a  solitary  life 
in  the  zuilderness!  Oh,  that  I  had  lived  alone  with 
God!  Hozv  mueh  more  secure  should  I  nozv  have 
died!  With  lioiv  much  more  confidence  should  I 
have  gone  to  the  throne  of  God!  What  doth  all  my 
glory  profit,  hut  that  I  have  so  much  the  more  tor- 
ment in  my  death?  " 

Pius  IX.  (Cardinal  Giovanni  Maria  Mastai-Far- 
retti,  elected  Pope  June  17th,  1846),  1792- 1878. 
*"'  Guard  the  church  I  loved  so  well  and  sacredly." 
Some  say  his  last  words  were,  "  Death  wins  this 
time." 

Phocion  (Athenian  statesman  and  general,  un- 
justly condemned  on  a  charge  of  treason,  and  put 
to  death),  b.  c.  402-317.    "No  resentment." 

Pitt  (William),  1759- 1806.  "0  my  country, 
how  I  leave  thee!  " 

227 


Xast  11xaor&s  of 

PiZARRO  (Francisco,  the  conqueror  of  Peru), 
about  1 475- 1 54 1.  "Jcsu!"  He  was  assassinated 
in  his  palace,  June  26,  1541,  and  was  killed  only 
after  desperate  resistance. 

Plotinus  (Greek  philosopher  ot  the  Neo-Pla- 
tonic  school),  204-270.  "/  am  laboring  to  return 
that  which  is  divine  in  us,  unto  that  Divinity  which 
informs  and  enlivens  the  whole  universe." 

He  was  intensely  religious,  and  if  he  had  come  a 
century  later  would,  instead  of  a  heathen  philos- 
opher, have  been  one  of  the  first  names  among  the 
saints  of  the  church. — Hallam. 

PoE  (Edgar  Allan,  American  poet,  author  of 
"  The  Raven  "),  181 1-1849.  ''  Lord  help  my  soul!  " 

Dr.  Moran,  resident  physician  of  the  Marine 
Hospital,  where  Poe  died,  wrote  to  Mrs.  Clemm, 
under  date  of  November  15th,  1849,  ^^^  account 
of  Poe's  last  hours,  in  which  he  represents  him  as 
having  been  wildly  delirious,  sometimes  "  resisting 
the  efforts  of  two  nurses  to  keep  him  in  bed,  until 
Saturday,  when  he  commenced  calling  for  one 
'  Reynolds,'  which  he  did  through  the  night  until 
three  on  Sunday  morning.  At  this  time  a  very 
decided  change  began  to  affect  him.  Having  be- 
come enfeebled  from  exertion,  he  became  quiet  and 
seemed  to  rest  for  a  short  time ;  then  gently  moving 
his  head  he  said,  '  Lord  help  my  soul ! '  and  ex- 
pired." 

228 


c//^     aLiU   A^   ^<io/^30.J? 


5^^^ 


S)istinoui9be^  /iDen  an&  TRIlomen 

PoLYCARP  ("  Saint,"  Christian  Father  and  martyr 
and  the  reputed  disciple  of  the  Apostle  John),  burned 
at  the  stake,  169.  "  O  Father  of  Thy  beloved  and 
blessed  Son,  Jesus  Christ!  0  God  of  all  prin- 
cipalities and  of  all  creation!  I  bless  Thee  that  Thou 
hast  counted  me  worthy  of  this  day,  and  of  this 
hour,  to  receive  my  portion  in  the  number  of  the 
martyrs,  in  the  cup  of  Christ.  I  praise  Thee  for  all 
these  things;  I  bless  Thee,  I  glorify  Thee,  by  the 
eternal  High  Priest,  Jesus  Christ,  Thy  zvell-beloved 
Son,  through  zvhom,  and  with  whom,  in  the  Holy 
Spirit,  be  glory  to  Thee,  both  now  and  forever. 
Amen." 

Pope  (Alexander),  1688- 1744.  "I  am  dying,  sir, 
of  a  hundred  good  symptoms''  said  to  a  friend  who 
called  to  inquire  concerning  his  health.  Some  give 
his  last  words  thus :  "  Friendship  itself  is  but  a 
part  of  virtue."  ^ 


^  On  some  occasion  of  alteration  in  the  church  at  Twicken- 
ham, England,  or  burial  of  some  one  in  the  same  spot,  the 
coffin  of  Pope  was  disinterred,  and  opened  to  see  the  state  of 
the  remains.  By  a  bribe  to  the  sexton  of  the  time,  possession 
of  the  skull  was  obtained  for  the  night,  and  another  skull  was 
returned  in  place  of  it.  Fifty  pounds  were  paid  for  the  suc- 
cessful management  of  this  transaction.  Whether  this  ac- 
count is  correct  or  not,  the  fact  is  that  the  skull  of  Pope  figures 
in  a  private  museum. — IVilliain  Howitt. 

The  head  of  the  celebrated  Due  de  Richelieu,  like  that  of 
Pope,  the  Mahdi,  and  Swendenborg,  is  above  ground.  At  the 
time  of  the  revolution  in  France  the  body  of  the  Duke  was 
exhumed  from  its  grave  in  the  Church  of  the  Sorbonne.    This 

229 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

Pope  (William,  the  notorious  leader  of  a  com- 
pany of  men  who  attracted  considerable  attention  by 
their  open  and  continued  abuse  of  sacred  things.  The 
utterances  of  these  men  shocked  community  and 
filled  the  minds  of  even  open  unbelievers  with  horror. 
It  was  reported,  but  of  that  the  compiler  of  this  book 
has  no  positive  knowledge,  that  Pope  and  his  as- 
sociates diverted  themselves  by  kicking  the  Bible 
about  the  floor  of  the  room  in  which  they  held  their 
infamous  meetings.  In  his  death  chamber  was  a 
scene  of  terror), — 1797.  "  I  have  done  the  damnable 
deed — the  horrible  damnable  deed!  I  cannot  pray. 
God  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  me.  I  zvill  not 
have  salvation  at  His  hands.  I  long  to  be  in  the  bot- 
tomless pit — the  lake  which  burneth  zvith  fire  and 
brimstone!  I  tell  you  I  am  damned!  I  will  not 
have  salvation!     Nothing  for  me  but  hell.     Come, 


having  been  subjected  to  numerous  indignities,  the  head  was 
cut  off,  and  the  latter  eventually  came  into  the  possession  of  a 
grocer,  who  afterward  sold  it  to  M.  Armez,  the  elder.  M. 
Armez,  after  the  Restoration,  offered  the  head  to  the  then 
Due  de  Richelieu,  the  Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs,  who  took 
no  notice  whatever  of  the  offer.  The  son  of  M.  Armez  in- 
herited the  skull.  In  1846  the  illustrious  Montalembert,  when 
President  of  the  Historical  Committee  of  Arts  and  Monu- 
ments, at  the  instance  of  his  colleagues,  did  his  best  to  recover 
the  head  of  the  Duke,  but  without  success.  M.  F.  Feuillet  de 
Conches,  in  his  "  Causeries  d'un  Curieux,"  makes  this  com- 
ment :  "  We  accuse  no  one,  still  the  fact  is  undeniable  that 
this  terrible  head,  the  personification  of  the  absolute  monarchy 
killing  the  aristocratic  monarchy,  is  wandering  upon  the  earth 
like  a  spectre  that  has  straggled  out  of  the  domain  of  the 
dead." 

230 


IDistinguisbet)  /iDen  anD  Momen 

eternal  torments.  O  God,  do  not  hear  my  prayers, 
for  I  will  not  be  saved.  I  hate  everything  that  God 
has  made." 

PoRTEUS  (Beilby,  Bishop  of  London.  Among  his 
works  are  a  "  Life  of  Archbishop  Seeker,"  "  Ser- 
mons," and  a  Seatonian  prize  poem  on  "  Death."  It 
is  said  that  he  assisted  Hannah  More  in  the  com- 
position of  "  Coelebs  in  Search  of  a  Wife  "),  1731- 
1808.    ''  O,  that  glorious  sun!  " 

Preston  (John,  author  of  "  Treatise  on  the 
Covenant"),  1587- 1628.  "Blessed  he  God,  though 
I  change  my  place,  I  shall  not  change  my  company; 
for  I  have  walked  zvith  God  while  living,  and  now  J 
go  to  rest  with  God." 

Priestly  (Joseph,  philosopher  and  writer), 
1 733- 1 804.  "  /  am  going  to  sleep  like  you,  but  we 
shall  all  azvake  together,  and  I  trust  to  everlasting 
happiness,"  spoken  to  his  grandchildren  and  attend- 
ants. 

To  Priestly  we  owe  our  knowledge  of  oxygen, 
binoxide  of  nitrogen,  sulphurous  acid,  fluosilicic 
acid,  muriatic  acid,  ammonia,  carburetted  hydro- 
gen, and  carbonic  oxide. 

PusEY  (Edward  Bouverie,  Regius  professor  of 
Hebrew  at  Oxford,  author  with  John  Henry  New- 
man,  of   "  Tracts   for   the   Times."       He   favored 

231 


Xast  Mor^B  ot 

auricular  confession  and  many  of  the  distinctive 
doctrines  and  practices  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church),  1 800- 1 882.     "  My  God!  " 

He  repeated  again  and  again  during  his  last  hours 
the  words,  "  The  body  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
which  was  given  for  thee,  preserve  thy  body  and 
soul  unto  everlasting  life."  When  a  common  cup 
containing  food  was  brought  to  him,  he  clutched  it 
with  reverent  eagerness,  thinking  in  the  bewilder- 
ment of  his  mind,  that  it  was  the  chalice.  When  he 
saw  the  friends  about  his  bed  kneeling  in  prayer,  he 
raised  his  hand,  with  the  words,  "  By  His  authority 
committed  unto  me,  I  absolve  thee  from  all  thy  sins." 
At  last,  gazing  about  him  as  though  he  saw  what 
the  dear  ones  by  his  bedside  could  not  see,  he  cried 
out,  "  My  God !  "  and  ceased  to  breathe.  His  He- 
brew Bible  lay  open  on  a  little  table  near  his  bed 
just  as  he  had  left  it  a  few  days  before,  at  i  Chron. 
xvi,  where  is  described  David's  triumphant  restora- 
tion of  the  ark  of  God  to  its  place  in  the  reverent 
worship  of  Israel. 

QuARLEs  (Francis,  quaint  English  poet,  author 
of  "Emblems"),  1592-1644.  "What  I  cannot 
utter  zvith  my  month,  accept,  Lord,  from  my  heart 
and  soul." 

QuiN  (James,  actor),  1693-1766.  "I  could  wish 
this  tragic  scene  were  over,  hut  I  hope  to  go  through 
it  with  becoming  dignity." 

232 


2)istinaufsbe&  /IDen  ant)  Momen 

Quick  (John,  actor),  1748-1831.  "Is  this 
death  r  " 

Rabelais  (Frangois),  about  1483-1553.  "Let 
doivn  the  curtain,  the  farce  is  over."  Some  say  his 
last  words  were,  "  I  am  going  to  the  great  perhaps." 

Raleigh  or  Rawleigh  (Sir  Walter),  1552-1618. 
"  This  is  a  sharp  medicine,  hut  a  sure  remedy  for  all 
evils! "  These  words  he  said  upon  the  scaffold, 
when  permitted  to  feel  of  the  edge  of  the  axe.  Some 
say  that  later  he  was  asked  which  way  he  chose  to 
place  himself  on  the  block,  and  that  he  replied.  "  So 
the  heart  be  right,  it  is  no  matter  which  way  the  head 
lies."  Others  say  that  his  last  words  were  these  ad- 
dressed to  the  hesitating  headsman,  "  Why  dost  thou 
not  strike?     Strike!  " 

The  lovers  of  tobacco  will  remember  that  it  was 
Sir  Walter  Raleigh  who  introduced  their  "delight- 
ful weed  "  into  Europe.  So  fond  was  he  of  the  weed 
that  he  used  it  upon  the  scaffold.  The  snuff-box  out 
of  which  he  took  a  pinch  just  before  his  head  rested 
upon  the  block  was  in  constant  use  by  the  Duke  of 
Sussex,  and  was  disposed  of  at  his  sale  for  £6. 

Mr.  Van  Klaes  whose  will  is  celebrated  all  over 
Holland  was  not  to  be  behind  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  in 
his  devotion  to  tobacco.  After  his  bequests  to  rela- 
tives and  charities,  he  has  this  paragraph  in  his  will : 

"  I  wish  every  smoker  in  the  kingdom  to  be  in- 
vited to  my  funeral  in  every  way  possible,  by  letter, 
circular   and   advertisement.      Every    smoker   who 

233 


Xast  Mort)s  of 

takes  advantage  of  the  invitation  shall  receive  as  a 
present  ten  pounds  of  tobacco,  and  two  pipes  on 
v^hich  shall  be  engraved  my  name,  my  crest,  and 
the  date  of  my  death.  The  poor  of  the  neighbor- 
hood who  accompany  my  bier  shall  receive  every 
year  on  the  anniversary  of  my  death  a  large  package 
of  tobacco.  I  make  the  condition  that  all  those  who 
assist  at  my  funeral,  if  they  wish  to  partake  of  the 
benefits  of  my  will,  must  smoke  without  interruption 
during  the  entire  ceremony.  My  body  shall  be  placed 
in  a  coffin  lined  throughout  with  the  wood  of  my 
old  Havana  cigar-boxes.  At  the  foot  of  the  coffin 
shall  be  placed  a  box  of  French  tobacco  called 
Caporal  and  a  package  of  our  old  Dutch  tobacco. 
At  my  side  place  my  favorite  pipe  and  a  box  of 
matches,  .  .  .  for  one  never  knows  what  may 
happen.  When  the  bier  rests  in  the  vault,  all  the 
persons  in  the  funeral  procession  are  requested  to 
cast  upon  it  the  ashes  of  their  pipes,  as  they  pass  it 
on  their  departure  from  the  grounds." 

The  wishes  of  the  testator  were  fulfilled  to  the 
letter.  The  funeral  went  off  gloriously  in  dense 
clouds  of  smoke.  Mr.  Van  Klaes'  cook,  Gertrude, 
to  whom  was  left  in  a  codicil  to  the  will  a  large  sum 
of  money  on  condition  she  should  overcome  her 
aversion  to  tobacco,  walked  in  the  funeral  procession 
with  a  cigarette  in  her  mouth. 

Randolph  (John,  an  able  but  eccentric  Ameri- 
can statesman),  1773-1833.  "  Write  that  word  '  Re- 

234 


S)lstlnouisbeC)  /iDen  an&  'Momen 

morse; '  show  it  to  me."  These  words  rest  upon 
doubtful  authority. 

Raphael   (Sanzio,  most  illustrious  of  painters. 

"  The  Transfiguration  "  at  Rome,  and  the  "  Ma- 
donna di  San  Sisto  "  at  Dresden  are  accounted  his 
master-pieces),  1483-1520.    "Happy — / 

"  Once  again  Raphael  revived,  and,  supported  by 
tvi^o  friends,  arose  and  looked  around  with  wide- 
open  eyes.  '  Whence  comes  the  sunshine  ?  '  mur- 
mured he. 

"  *  Raphael,'  cried  I,  and  extended  both  hands  to- 
ward him,  '  do  you  recognize  me  ?  ' 

"  For  a  moment  it  seemed  as  if  he  had  not  heard 
me,  then  he  spoke  again,  and  the  holy  calm  of  his 
expression,  in  spite  of  the  death-struggle,  bore  testi- 
mony to  his  words,  '  Happy — .'  He  tried  to  finish 
the  sentence,  but  could  not.  He  never  uttered  an- 
other word,  but  it  was  full  night  when  a  voice  broke 
through  the  long  stillness :     '  Raphael  is  dead ! '  " 

Cardinal  Bibbiena  in  a  letter  to  his  niece  Maria  di 
Bibbiena. 

Ravaillac  (Frangois,  the  assassin  of  Henry  IV. 
of  France),  1578-1610.  "  I  receive  absolution  upon 
this  condition."  Ravaillac  asked  absolution  of  Dr. 
Filesac,  who  answered,  "  We  are  forbidden  to  give 
it  in  the  case  of  a  crime  of  high  treason,  unless  the 
guilty  one  reveals  his  abettors  and  accomplices." 
Ravaillac  replied,  "  I  have  none.     It  is  I  alone  that 

235 


Xast  MorC)S  ot 

did  it.  Give  me  a  conditional  absolution.  You  can- 
not refuse  this."  "  Well,  then,"  said  Dr.  Filesac, 
"  I  give  it  to  you,  but  if  the  contrary  be  true,  instead 
of  absolution  I  pronounce  your  eternal  damnation. 
Look  to  it."  Ravaillac  answered,  "  I  receive  absolu- 
tion upon  this  condition." 

On  May  27,  1610,  Ravaillac  was  declared  by  the 
Parliament  guilty  of  divine  and  human  high 
treason ;  condemned  to  have  his  flesh  torn  with  hot 
pincers  and  the  wounds  filled  with  melted  lead,  boil- 
ing oil,  etc. ;  to  have  his  right  hand,  holding  the 
regicidal  knife,  burned  in  a  fire  of  sulphur;  to  be 
afterward  torn  to  pieces  alive  by  four  horses,  to 
have  his  members  reduced  to  ashes  and  the  ashes 
thrown  to  the  winds.  The  same  decree  ordered  that 
the  house  in  which  he  was  born  be  demolished ;  that 
his  father  and  his  mother  leave  the  kingdom  in 
fifteen  days,  with  orders  not  to  return,  under  penalty 
of  being  hung  and  strangled;  and  finally  that  his 
brothers,  sisters,  uncles,  etc.,  give  up  the  name  of 
Ravaillac  and  take  another,  under  pain  of  the  same 
penalties. 

Ravaillac,  most  fearless  of  fanatics  and  devotees, 
said,  when  interrogated  before  Parliament  as  to  his 
estate  and  calling,  "  I  teach  children  to  read,  write, 
and  pray  to  God."  At  his  third  examination,  he 
wrote  beneath  the  signature  which  he  had  affixed  to 
his  testimony  the  following  distich : 

"  Que  toujours,  dans  mon  coeur, 
Jesus  soit  le  vainqueur !  " 

236 


S)i5tfnGui6be^  /IDcn  an&  Momen 

and  a  member  of  Parliament  exclaimed  on  reading 
it,  "  Where  the  devil  will  religion  lodge  next!  "  ^ 

Raymond  (John  Howard,  President  of  Vassar 
College),    1 8 14 — .    "  Hozu  easy — hoiu  easy — hoiv 

easy  to  glide  from  work  here  to  the  work "  there, 

he  evidently  wished  to  add,  but  his  voice  failed  him. 

Reade  (Charles,  author  of  "  Peg  Woffington," 
"The  Cloister  and  the  Hearth,"  "Very  Hard 
Cash,"  "  Griffith  Gaunt  "  and  "  Put  Yourself  in  His 
Place"),  18 14- 1884.  "Amazing,  anianing  glory! 
I  am  having  Paul's  understanding."  He  referred 
to  2  Cor.  xii,  1-4,  which  had  previously  been  a  sub- 
ject of  conversation  with  a  relative.  In  the  epitaph 
which  he  wrote  for  his  own  tombstone,  he  shows  his 
complete  reliance  for  future  happiness  on  the  merits 
and  mediation  of  Christ : 

HERE  LIE, 

BY  THE  SIDE  OF  HIS  BELOVED  FRIEND, 

THE  MORTAL  REMAINS  OF 

CHARLES  READE, 

DRAMATIST,   NOVELIST  AND  JOURNALIST. 

HIS  LAST  WORDS  TO  MANKIND  ARE 

ON  THIS  STONE. 


^  John  Chastel  was  torn  to  pieces  sixteen  years  before,  for 
attempting  the  life  of  the  same  monarch.  Salcede,  the 
Spaniard,  endeavored  to  assassinate  Henri  III.,  and  was  ac- 
cordingly dismembered.  Nicholas  de  Salvado  and  Baltha/ar  de 
Gerrard  suffered  in  the  same  way  for  attacking  William, 
Prince  of  Orange.  Livy  records  that  Mettius  Suffetius  was 
dismembered  by  chariots  for  deserting  the  Roman  cause. 


xast  ^lmor^s  ot 

"  I  hope  for  a  resurrection,  not  from  any  power 
in  nature,  but  from  the  will  of  the  Lord  God  Om- 
nipotent, who  made  nature  and  me.  He  created  me 
out  of  nothing,  which  nature  could  not  do.  He  can 
restore  man  from  the  dust,  which  nature  cannot. 

"  And  I  hope  for  holiness  and  happiness  in  a  fu- 
ture life,  not  for  any  thing  I  have  said  or  done  in 
this  body,  but  from  the  merits  and  mediation  of 
Jesus  Christ. 

"  He  has  promised  his  intercession  to  all  who 
seek  him,  and  he  will  not  break  his  word ;  that  inter- 
cession, once  granted,  cannot  be  rejected :  for  he  is 
God,  and  his  merits  infinite;  a  man's  sins  are  but 
human  and  finite. 

"  '  Him  that  cometh  unto  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast 
out.'  *  If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  Advocate  with 
the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  Righteous,  and  he  is 
the  propitiation  for  our  sins.'  " 

Renan  (Ernest,  Orientalist  and  critic),  1823- 
1892.  "/  have  done  my  work.  It  is  the  most 
natural  thing  in  the  world  to  die;  let  us  accept  the 
Laws  of  the  Universe — the  heavens  and  the  earth 
remain." 

Some  authorities  give  his  last  words  thus :  "  Let 
us  submit  to  the  Laws  of  Nature  of  which  we  are 
one  of  the  manifestations.  The  heavens  and  the 
earth  abide." 

He  began  to  study  for  the  priesthood,  but  re- 
nounced  that   profession   because   he   doubted   the 

238 


DfstinouiBbet)  /IDen  ant>  Monten 

truth  of  the  orthodox  creed.  He  displayed  much 
learning  in  his  "  General  History  of  the  Semitic 
Languages,"  was  admitted  into  the  Academy  of  In- 
scriptions in  1856,  and  was  sent  to  Syria  in  i860 
to  search  for  relics  of  ancient  learning  and  civiliza- 
tion. Soon  after  his  return  he  was  appointed  pro- 
fessor of  Hebrew  in  the  College  of  France,  but  was 
suspended  in  1862,  in  deference  to  the  will  of  those 
who  considered  him  unsound  in  faith.  He  admits 
the  excellence  of  the  Christian  religion,  but  dis- 
credits its  supernatural  origin  and  rejects  the 
miracles. — Lippincott's  Biographical  Dictionary. 

Reynolds  (Sir  Joshua,  celebrated  portrait 
painter),  1723-1792.  "I  have  been  fortunate  in 
long  good  health  and  constant  success,  and  I  ought 
not  to  complain.  I  know  that  all  things  on  earth 
must  have  an  end,  and  nozv  I  am  come  to  7nine." 

Richelieu  (Armand  Jean  du  Plessis,  Cardinal 
and  French  statesman),  1585-1642.  ''Absolutely, 
and  I  pray  God  to  condemn  me,  if  I  have  had  any 
other  aim  than  the  zvelfare  of  God  and  the  state,"  in 
reply  to  the  question  whether  he  pardoned  his  ene- 
mies. 

His  last  words  are  sometimes  incorrectly  given 
thus :  "  I  have  no  enemies  except  those  of  the 
State." 

Richmond  (Leigh,  a  clergyman  of  the  English 
Church,  and  author  of  "  Annals  of  the  Poor  "  and 

239 


Xast  Morbs  of 

"  The  Fathers  of  the  English  Church  "),  1772- 1827. 
"  Brother,  brother,  strong  evidences,  7iothing  but 
strong  evidences  will  do  in  such  an  hour  as  this.  I 
have  looked  here  and  looked  there  for  them,  and  all 
have  failed  me,  and  so  I  cast  myself  on  the  sovereign, 
free  and  full  grace  of  God  in  the  covenant  by  Jesus 
Christ;  and  there,  brother,  there  I  have  found 
peace" 

RiCHTER  (Jean  Paul  Frederich,  German  author), 
1763-1825.  "My  beautifid  Hozvers,  my  lovely  flow- 
ers! " 

His  wife  brought  him  a  wreath  of  flowers  that  a 
lady  had  sent  him,  for  every  one  wished  to  add  some 
charm  to  his  last  days.  As  he  touched  them  care- 
fully, for  he  could  neither  see  nor  smell  them,  he 
seemed  to  rejoice  in  the  images  of  the  flowers  in 
his  mind,  for  he  said  repeatedly,  *'  My  beautiful 
flowers,  my  lovely  flowers !  " 

Although  his  friends  sat  around  the  bed,  as  he 
imagined  it  was  night,  they  conversed  no  longer ;  he 
arranged  his  arms  as  if  preparing  for  repose,  which 
was  to  be  to  him  the  repose  of  death,  and  soon  sank 
into  a  tranquil  sleep.  ...  At  length  his  res- 
piration became  less  regular,  but  his  features  always 
calmer,  more  heavenly.  A  slight  convulsion  passed 
over  the  face;  the  physician  cried  out.  "That  is 
death !  "  and  all  was  quiet.    The  spirit  had  departed. 

Robertson  (Frederick  William,  an  English 
clergyman  of  singular  purity  and  depth  of  religious 

240 


2)tstfnauisbe&  /iDen  an&  Momen 

feeling-,  and  of  great  ability),  1816-1853.  " t  can- 
not bear  it;  let  me  rest.  I  must  die.  Let  God  do  his 
work." 

A  member  of  his  congregation,  a  chemist,  asked 
him  to  look  at  his  galvanic  apparatus.  He  took  the 
ends  of  the  wire,  completed  the  circuit,  experiencing 
the  tingling.  He  then  held  the  end  of  the  wire  to 
the  back  of  the  head  and  neck,  without  a  single  sen- 
sation being  elicited.  Then  he  touched  his  forehead 
for  a  second.  "  Instantly  a  crashing  pain  shot 
through,  as  if  my  skull  was  stove  in,  and  a  bolt  of 
fire  were  burning  through  and  through."  In  the 
same  letter  he  writes,  "  My  work  is  done."  Some 
hope  might  have  been  entertained  if  he  could  have 
had  a  curate  to  help  him  with  his  work.  But  the 
then  Vicar  of  Brighton,  rather  an  unsympathetic 
man,  refused  to  let  him  have  the  curate  on  whom 
his  heart  was  set.  So  he  sank,  unrelieved,  into 
death.  The  dark  secrets  of  the  hospital  of  torture 
hardly  reveal  greater  suffering  than  Robertson  en- 
dured in  those  last  hours.  When  they  sought  to 
change  his  position,  he  said,  "  I  cannot  bear  it ;  let 
me  rest.  I  must  die.  Let  God  do  his  work."  These 
were  his  last  words. 

He  was  only  thirty-seven  years  old  when  he  died ; 
an  age  when  he  had  not  reached  the  climax  of  his 
powers,  or  the  complete  development  of  his  char- 
acter and  views.  It  is  an  interesting  circumstance 
that  after  his  death  an  inhabitant  of  Brighton  who 
had  stood  aloof  from  his  teaching  during  his  life- 

241 


Xast  MorC)s  ot 

time,  read  his  sermons  and  was  so  struck  with  the 
beauty  of  his  teaching  that  in  gratitude  he  placed 
a  marble  bust  of  the  great  preacher  in  the  Pavilion. 

London  Society. 
For  six  years  he  continued  to  preach  sermons, 
the  like  of  which,  for  blending  of  delicacy  and 
strength  of  thought,  poetic  beauty  and  homely  lu- 
cidity of  speech,  had  perhaps  never  been  heard  be- 
fore in  England.  Robertson  was  unhappily  (for  his 
comfort)  not  very  "orthodox;"  consequently  he 
was  long  misunderstood,  and  vilified  by  the  "  pro- 
fessedly religious  portion  of  society;  "  but  so  true,  so 
beautiful  was  his  daily  life  and  conversation  that  he 
almost  outlived  those  pious  calumnies,  and  his  death 
(from  consumption)  threw  the  whole  town  in 
mourning. — Chambers'  Encyclopcedia. 

Rob  Roy  (whose  original  name  was  Macgregor, 
was  a  friend  and  follower  of  the  "  Pretender  "  in  the 
Rebellion  of  171 5.  He  is  the  hero  of  one  of  Scott's 
novels),  about  1660-1743. 

Tradition  relates  that  Rob  Roy  was  visited  on  his 
death-bed  by  a  person  with  whom  he  was  at  enmity, 
and  that  as  soon  as  the  visitor,  whom  he  treated  with 
a  cold,  haughty  civility  during  their  short  confer- 
ence, had  departed,  the  dying  man  said,  "  Now  all 
is  over — let  the  piper  play  'Ha  til  mi  tididh'  (we 
return  no  more)  " — and  he  is  said  to  have  expired 
before  the  dirge  was  finished. — Francis  Jacox. 

242 


I)fBtfnouisbe^  /IDen  an^  XlGlomen 

RoYER-CoLLARD  (Pierre  Paul,  French  philoso- 
pher and  statesman ) ,  1763-1845.  "  There  is  nothing 
solid  and  substantial  in  the  world  but  religious 
ideas" 

Rogers  (John,  Vicar  of  St.  Pulchers,  and  reader 
of  St.  Paul's  in  London.  He  was  burnt  at  the 
stake, — 1555.    "Lord,  receive  my  spirit." 

Roland  (Marie  Jeanne  Philipon,  Madame.  "The 
Spirit  of  the  Girondin  Party"),  1754-1793.  "Go 
first;  I  can  at  least  spare  you  the  pain  of  seeing  my 
blood  ftozv." 

When  she  arrived  in  front  of  the  Statue  of  Lib- 
erty, she  bent  her  head  to  it,  exclaiming-,  "  Oh  Lib- 
erty, how  many  crimes  are  committed  in  thy  name !  " 
At  the  foot  of  the  scaffold  she  said  to  her  companion, 
an  old  and  timid  man,  whom  she  had  been  encourag- 
ing on  the  way,  "  Go  first ;  I  can  at  least  spare  you 
the  pain  of  seeing  my  blood  flow." 

RoMAiNE  (William,  English  theologian,  for 
thirty  years  rector  of  Blackfriars),  1714-1795. 
"  Holy,  holy,  holy,  blessed  Lord  Jesus!  to  Thee  be 
endless  praise! " 

Rosa  (Salvator,  Italian  painter),  1615-1673. 
"  To  judge  by  what  I  now  endure,  the  hand  of  death 
grasps  me  sharply."    Last  recorded  words. 

243 


Xast  Mot^s  ot 

RossETTi  (Dante  Gabriel,  English  painter  and 
poet,  leader  in  the  Pre-Raphaelite  movement),  1828- 
1882.  "  I  think  I  shall  die  to-night."  These  are 
his  last  recorded  words, 

Dante  Gabriel  Rossetti  is  buried  near  the  waves 
of  his  beloved  German  Ocean  in  the  churchyard  of 
Birchington,  a  small  village  on  the  Isle  of  Thanet. 
He  died  in  1882  at  his  bungalow,  on  a  cliff  near  by, 
and  his  grave  is  marked  by  a  tall  Celtic  cross  of 
stone,  carved  with  designs  by  Ford  Madox  Brown. 
The  head  and  arms  of  the  cross  are  decorated  with 
a  spray  ending  in  leaves,  and  two  leafy  branches 
right  and  left.  The  shaft  has  four  panels,  with  re- 
liefs. The  upper  compartment  has  a  figure  of  Christ, 
fronting,  and  two  figures  right  and  left  in  profile. 
The  panel  below  has  a  kneeling  bull,  with  wings,  to 
represent  the  Evangelist.  Below  that  is  a  kneeling 
painter,  with  canvas  and  easel  before  him  and  his 
palette  on  his  arm.  The  lowest  panel  is  filled  with  a 
decorative  scroll.  There  is  a  stained-glass  window 
to  his  memory  in  the  little  church. 

Rousseau  (Jean  Jacques,  the  famous  author  of 
"La  Nouvelle  Heloise,"  "  fimile,"  "  Du  Contrat 
Social  "  and  "  Confessions  "),  1712-1778.  ''  Throw 
up  the  window  that  I  may  see  once  more  the  mag- 
nificent scene  of  nature.'* 

Rutherford  (Rev.  Samuel),  1695-1779.  " // 
he  shoidd  slay  me  ten  thousand  times,  ten  thousand 

244 


2)istinouisbe&  /IDen  anC>  Momen 

hmes  I'll  trust  him.  I  feci,  I  feel,  I  believe  in  joy, 
and  rejoice;  I  feed  on  manna.  O  for  arms  to  em- 
brace him!    O  for  a  well-tuned  harp! " 

Rutherford  (Rev.  Thomas),  1712-1771,  "He 
has  indeed  been  a  precious  Christ  to  me;  and  nozv  I 
feel  him  to  be  my  rock,  my  strength,  my  rest,  my 
hope,  my  joy,  my  all  in  all." 

Sabatier  (Raphael  Bienvenu,  French  surgeon), 
1 732- 181 1.  "  Contemplate  the  state  in  which  I  am 
fallen,  and  learn  to  die,"  said  to  his  son. 

He  was  ashamed  of  his  bodily  infirmities  and  of 
his  approaching  mortality. 

Samson  (one  of  the  judges  of  Israel,  of  the  tribe 
of  Dan,  and  the  son  of  Manoah),  about  b.  c.  1155. 
"  Let  me  die  with  the  Philistines."  After  perform- 
ing several  wonderful  deeds  of  strength,  he  was 
made  prisoner,  and  deprived  of  sight  by  the  Philis- 
tines, a  great  number  of  whom  he  subsequently  de- 
stroyed, along  with  himself,  by  pulling  down  the 
temple  in  which  they  were  assembled. 

See  Judges,  xvi. 

Sand  ("  George,"  pseudonym  of  Madame  Dude- 
vant),  1804-1876.  "  Laissez  la  verdure" — mean- 
ing, "  Leave  the  tomb  green,  do  not  cover  it  over 
with  bricks  or  stone." 

Sanderson  (Robert,  English  prelate,  chaplain  to 
Charles  I.,  and  later  Bishop  of  London),  1 587-1663. 

245 


Xast  TImor^5  ot 

"My  heart  is  fixed,  0  God!  my  heart  is  fixed  where 
true  joy  is  to  be  found." 

Sarpi  (Fra  Paolo,  author  of  "  History  of  the 
Council  of  Trent,"  and  opponent  of  the  doctrine  of 
the  infallibility  of  the  Pope),  1552-1623.  "Be  thou 
everlasting."  These  words  were  spoken  in  refer- 
ence to  his  country,  Venice. 

Saunders  (Lawrence,  suffered  martyrdom  dur- 
ing the  reign  of  Queen  Mary).  "  Welcome  the  cross 
of  Christ,  welcome  everlasting  life." 

Away  went  Mr.  Saunders,  with  a  merry  courage, 
toward  the  fire.  He  fell  to  the  ground  and  prayed; 
he  rose  up  again  and  took  the  stake  to  which  he 
should  be  chained  in  his  arms  and  kissed  it,  saying : 
"  Welcome  the  cross  of  Christ,  welcome  everlast- 
ing life."  Being  fastened  to  the  stake  he  fell  full 
sweetly  asleep  in  the  Lord. 

Fox's  "  Book  of  Martyrs.'* 

Savonarola  (Girolamo,  celebrated  preacher  and 
political,  as  well  as  religious,  reformer  of  Florence), 
1 452- 1 498.  "  O  Florence,  zvhat  host  thou  done  to- 
day f  "  He  was  strangled  and  burnt  by  the  com- 
missioners of  the  Pope,  May  23,  1498.  His  last 
words  are  sometimes  given  thus :  "  The  Lord  has 
suffered  as  much  for  me." 

While  he  and  his  companions,  all  three  barely 
covered  by  their  tunics,  with  naked  feet  and  arms 
bound,  were  being  slowly  led  from  the  ringhiera  to 

246 


H)istinoui0be&  /iDeu  anb  Momen 

the  gibbet,  the  dregs  of  the  populace  were  allowed  to 
assail  them  with  vile  words  and  viler  acts.  Savona- 
rola endured  this  bitter  martyrdom  with  unshaken 
serenity.  One  bystander,  stirred  with  compassion, 
approached  him  and  said  a  few  comforting  words,  to 
which  he  benignantly  replied :  "  At  the  last  hour, 
God  alone  can  give  mortals  comfort."  A  certain 
priest,  named  Nerotto,  asked  him,  "  in  what  spirit 
dost  thou  bear  martyrdom?"  He  said:  "The 
Lord  hath  suffered  as  much  for  me."  He  then  kissed 
the  crucifix,  and  his  voice  was  heard  no  more. 

Villari:  "  Life  and  Times  of  Savonarola." 

Sax  (Hermann  Maurice,  Marshal  of  France), 
1 696- 1 750.  "  The  dream  has  been  short,  but  it  has 
been  beautiful." 

ScARRON  (Paul,  the  creator  of  French  bur- 
lesque), 1610-1660.  "Ah!  mes  enfans,  you  cannot 
cry  as  much  for  me  as  I  have  made  you  laugh  in  my 
time!"  Some  say  that  a  few  moments  later  he 
added,  "  I  never  thought  that  it  was  so  easy  a  matter 
to  laugh  at  the  approach  of  death." 

The  life  of  Scarron  was  one  of  extreme  wretched- 
ness. He  was,  like  Heine,  a  miserable  paralytic ;  his 
form,  to  use  his  own  words,  "  had  become  bent  like 
a  Z."  "  My  legs,"  he  says,  "  first  made  an  obtuse 
angle  with  my  thighs,  then  a  right  and  at  last  an 
acute  angle ;  my  thighs  made  another  with  my  body. 
My  head  is  bent  upon  my  chest;  my  arms  are  con- 
247 


Xast  MorOs  ot 

tracted  as  well  as  my  legs,  and  my  fingers  as  well  as 
my  arms.  I  am,  in  truth,  a  pretty  complete  abridg- 
ment of  human  misery."  At  the  time  of  his  mar- 
riage (to  the  beautiful  and  gifted  Mademoiselle 
d'Aubigne,  afterward  Madame  de  Maintenon,  the 
wife  for  thirty  years  of  Louis  XIV.)  he  could  only 
move  with  freedom  his  hand,  tongue  and  eyes.  His 
days  were  passed  in  a  chair  with  a  hood,  and  so 
completely  was  he  the  abridgment  of  man  he 
describes  himself  that  his  wife  had  to  kneel  to  look 
in  his  face.  He  could  not  be  moved  without  scream- 
ing from  pain,  nor  sleep  without  opium.  The  epitaph 
which  he  wrote  on  himself  is  touching  from  its 
truth : 

Tread    softly — make    no    noise 

To  break  his  slumbers  deep ; 
Poor  Scarron  here  enjoys 

His  first  calm  night  of  sleep. 

— Russell:     Library  Notes. 

Schiller  (Friedrich,  "  the  only  German  poet 
who  can  contest  the  supremacy  of  Goethe"),  1759- 
1805.  "  Many  things  are  growing  plain  and  clear 
to  my  understanding." 

Of  his  friends  and  family  he  took  a  touching  but 
tranquil  farewell ;  he  ordered  that  his  funeral  should 
be  private,  without  pomp  or  parade.  Some  one  in- 
quiring how  he  felt,  he  said,  "  Calmer  and  calmer;  " 
simple  but  memorable  words,  expressive  of  the  mild 
heroism  of  the  man.  About  six  he  sank  into  a  deep 
sleep;  once  for  a  moment  he  looked  up  with  a  lively 

248 


5)t0ttnaufsbet)  /iDen  anC)  "Cdomen 

air  and  said,  "  Many  things  are  growing  plain  and 
clear  to  my  understanding."  Again  he  closed  his 
eyes,  and  his  sleep  deepened  and  deepened  till  it 
changed  into  the  sleep  from  which  there  Is  no 
awakening,  and  all  that  remained  of  Schiller  was  a 
lifeless  form  soon  to  be  mingled  with  the  sods  of  the 
valley. — Carlyle's  "  Life  of  Schiller." 

Dunzer  says,  in  his  "  Life  of  Schiller  "  :  "  During 
Schiller's  delirium,  from  May  5th  to  ]\Iay  9th,  1805, 
he  repeated  passages  from  his  '  Demetrius,'  and  be- 
fore falling  asleep  he  called  out,  '  Is  that  your  hell? 
Is  that  your  heaven?  '  and  then  looked  upward  with 
a  calm  smile:  '  Liehc,  gute'  (Dear,  good  one),  ad- 
dressed to  his  wife,  were  the  last  words  he  uttered." 

Schiller's  last  words  are  sometimes  given  thus : 
"  Einen  Blick  in  die  Sonne." 

ScHiMMELPENNiNCK  (Mary  Anne,  author  of 
"Memoirs  of  Port-Royal"),  1778-1856.  "  O,  I 
hear  such  beautiful  voices,  and  the  children's  are  the 
loudest." 

ScHLEGEL  (Karl  Wilhelm  Friedrich,  von,  Ger- 
man philosopher  and  author),  1772-1829.  ''But 
the  consummate  and  perfect  knoivledge — " 

ScHLEiERMACHER  (Fricdrich  Ernst  Daniel,  dis- 
tinguished German  pulpit  orator  and  theologian), 
1 768- 1 834.  "  Nozv  I  can  hold  out  here  no  longer. 
Lay  me  in  a  different  posture." 

On  the  last  morning,  Wednesday,  February  12, 
249 


XaBt  Mor^s  of 

his  sufferings  evidently  became  greater.  He  com- 
plained of  a  burning  inward  heat,  and  the  first  and 
last  tone  of  impatience  broke  from  his  lips :  "  Ah, 
Lord,  I  suffer  much !  "  The  features  of  death  came 
fully  on,  the  eye  was  glazed,  the  death-struggle  was 
over !  At  this  moment,  he  laid  the  two  fore-fingers 
upon  his  left  eye,  as  he  often  did  when  in  deep 
thought,  and  began  to  speak  :  "  We  have  the  atoning 
death  of  Jesus  Christ,  his  body  and  his  blood."  Dur- 
ing this  he  had  raised  himself  up,  his  features  began 
to  be  reanimated,  his  voice  became  clear  and  strong ; 
he  inquired  with  priestly  solemnity :  "  Are  ye  one 
with  me  in  this  faith?''  to  which  we,  Lommatzsch 
and  a  female  friend  who  were  present,  and  myself, 
answered  with  a  loud  yea.  "  Then  let  us  receive  the 
Lord's  Supper!  but  the  sexton  is  not  to  be  thought 
of ;  quick,  quick !  let  no  one  stumble  at  the  form ;  I 
have  never  held  to  the  dead  letter !  " 

As  soon  as  the  necessary  things  were  brought  in 
by  my  son-in-law,  during  which  time  we  had  waited 
with  him  in  solemn  stillness,  he  began — with  fea- 
tures more  and  more  animated,  and  with  an  eye  to 
which  a  strange  and  indescribable  lustre,  yea,  a  higher 
glow  of  love  with  which  he  looked  upon  us,  had  re- 
turned,— to  pronounce  some  words  of  prayer  intro- 
ductory to  the  solemn  rite.  Then  he  gave  the  bread 
first  to  me,  then  to  the  female  friend,  then  to  Lom- 
matzsch, and  lastly  to  himself,  pronouncing  aloud  to 
each,  the  words  of  institution  (Matt  xxvi,  etc.;  i 
Cor.  xi.  23-29), — so  loud  indeed,  that  the  children 

250 


DistinguisbeC)  /IDen  an^  IKHomen 

and  Muhlenfels  (late  Professor  in  the  London  Uni- 
versity), who  kneeled  listening  at  the  door  of  the 
next  room,  heard  them  plainly.  So  also  with  the 
wine,  to  us  three  first,  and  then  to  himself,  with  the 
full  words  of  institution  to  each.  Then,  with  his 
eyes  directed  to  Lommatzsch,  he  said :  "  Upon  these 
words  of  Scripture  I  stand  fast,  as  I  have  always 
taught;  they  are  the  foundation  of  my  faith."  Af- 
ter he  had  pronounced  the  blessing,  he  turned  his 
eye  once  more  full  of  love  on  me,  and  then  on  each 
of  the  others,  with  the  words :  "  In  this  love  and 
communion,  we  are  and  remain  one.'" 

He  laid  himself  back  upon  his  pillow ;  the  anima- 
tion still  rested  on  his  features.  After  a  few  minutes 
he  said :  "  Now  I  can  hold  out  here  no  longer,"  and 
then,  "  Lay  me  in  a  different  posture."  We  laid  him 
on  his  side, — he  breathed  a  few  times, — and  life 
stood  still !  Meanwhile  the  children  had  all  come  in, 
and  were  kneeling  around  the  bed  as  his  eyes  closed 
gradually. 

Account  of  Schlciermacher's  Death  prepared  by 
his  wife. 

ScHWERiN  VON  (Kurt  Christoph,  Count  and 
Field-marshal),  1684-1757.  "Let  all  brave  Prus- 
sians follow  me"  said'just  before  he  fell  dead,  having 
been  struck  by  a  cannon  ball. 

Scott  (James,  Duke  of  Monmouth,  natural  son 
of  Charles  IL,  of  England),   1649-1685.     "There 

2^1 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

are  six  guineas  for  you,  and  do  not  hack  me  as  you 
did  my  Lord  Russell.  I  have  heard  that  you  struck 
him  three  or  four  times.  My  servant  will  give  you 
more  gold  if  you  do  your  work  well,"  said  to  the 
headsman,  who,  notwithstanding  these  words,  be- 
ing unnerved,  inflicted  several  blows  before  the  neck 
was  severed. 

Scott  (Thomas,  Privy  Councillor  of  James  V.  of 
Scotland).  "Begone,  you  and  your  trumpery;  un- 
til this  moment  I  believed  there  was  neither  a  God 
nor  a  hell.  Nozv  I  know  and  feel  that  there  are  both, 
and  I  am  doomed  to  perdition  by  the  just  judgment 
of  the  Almighty,"  said  to  a  priest  who  w^ished  to 
point  out  to  him  the  way  of  salvation. 

Scott  (Sir  Walter),  1771-1832.  "God  bless 
you  all! "  to  his  family.  Some  give  his  last  words 
thus :  "  I  feel  as  if  I  were  to  be  myself  again." 

Still  others  say  his  last  words  were  these,  ad- 
dressed to  Lockhart,  "  My  dear,  be  a  good  man, — be 
virtuous, — be  religious, — be  a  good  man.  Nothing 
else  can  give  you  any  comfort,  when  you  come  to 
lie  here." 

It  is  also  said  by  some  authorities  that  his  last 
words  were,  "  There  is  but  one  book ;  bring  me  the 
Bible."  These  words  it  is  represented  were  ad- 
dressed to  Lockhart  who  had  asked  him  what  book 
it  was  he  wished  to  have  read  to  him. 

252 


DistinguisbeD  /IDen  anb  Momcn 

Scott  (Winfield,  distinguished  American  gen- 
eral), 1 786- 1 866.  "James,  take  good  care  of  the 
horse." 

As  Frederick  the  Great's  last  completely  con- 
scious utterance  was  in  reference  to  his  favorite  Eng- 
lish greyhound,  Scott's  was  in  regard  to  his  magnifi- 
cent horse,  the  same  noble  animal  that  followed  in  his 
funeral  procession  a  few  days  later.  Turning  to  his 
servant,  the  old  veteran's  last  words  were:  "  James^ 
take  good  care  of  the  horse."  In  accordance  with 
his  expressed  wish,  he  was  buried  at  West  Point  on 
the  first  of  June  1866,  and  his  remains  were  accom- 
panied to  the  grave  by  many  of  the  most  illustrious 
men  of  the  land,  including  Gen.  Grant  and  Admiral 
Farragut. 

Appleton's  Cyclopcedia  of  American  Biography. 

Serment  (Mile,  de,  called  "The  Philosopher," 
because  of  her  rare  attainments  in  literature  and  of 
her  wide  acquaintance  with  ethics).  She  died  of 
cancer  of  the  breast,  and  expired  in  finishing  these 
lines  which  she  addressed  to  Death : 

"  Nee  tare  clausa  sito, 
Dignutn  tantorum  pretium  tulit  ilia  laborum." 

Servetus  (Michael.  He  calls  himself  Serveto 
alias  Reves,  adding  his  family  name  to  his  own,  in 
the  title  of  his  earliest  book.  For  twenty  years  of 
his  life,  during  his  residence  in  France,  he  was 
known  only  as  Michael  de  Villanovanus,  from  the 

253 


Xast  Mor&s  of 

assumed  name  of  his  birthplace),  1509  or  151 1- 
1553.  "  Jesiis,  Son  of  the  eternal  God,  have  mercy 
on  me! " 

The  sentence  was  drawn  out  at  great  length  on 
the  26th  of  October.  Servetus  did  not  know  it  till 
the  next  day,  Friday,  two  hours  before  the  execu- 
tion. On  a  rising  ground  near  the  lake,  a  little  to  the 
eastward  of  the  city,  he  was  chained  to  a  stake,  and, 
the  oldest  account  (that  in  Sandius)  says,  for  more 
tlian  two  hours,  while  stifling  in  the  fumes  of  straw 
and  brimstone,  suffered  the  torture  of  a  fire  of 
"  green  oak  fagots,  with  the  leaves  still  on,"  the  wind 
blowing  the  flame  so  that  it  would  only  scorch,  not 
kill,  till  the  crowd,  in  horror,  heaped  the  fuel  closer. 
His  last  cry  was,  "  Jesus,  Son  of  the  eternal  God, 
have  mercy  on  me !  "  Farel's  retort  was,  "  Call 
rather  on  the  Eternal  Son  of  God !  "  "  I  know  well," 
he  had  written  not  long  before,  "  that  for  this  thing 
I  must  die,  but  not  for  that  does  my  heart  fail  me 
that  I  may  be  a  disciple  like  the  Master." 

Joseph  Henry  Allen  in  the  Nezu  World,  Dec.  1892. 

Seton  (Elizabeth  Ann,  philanthropist,  foundress 
and  first  Superior  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity  in  the 
United  States),  1 774-1 821.  ''Soul  of  Christ, 
sanctify  me;  Body  of  Christ,  save  me;  Blood  of 
Christ,  inebriate  me;  Water  out  of  the  side  of  Christ, 
strengthen  me."  A  few  moments  after  she  had 
spoken  these  words  she  murmured,  ''Jesus,  Mary, 
Joseph,"  and  expired. 

254 


DlstlnanlsbeC)  /IDen  an&  Momen 

Severus  (Bishop  of  Ravenna),  — 390.  "My 
dear  one,  with  whom  I  lived  in  love  so  long,  make 
room  for  me,  for  this  is  my  grave,  and  in  death  zve 
shall  not  be  divided."  The  last  words  of  Severus 
are  purely  traditional. 

Severus.  Bishop  of  Ravenna,  prepared  a  tomb  for 
himself  in  his  church.  In  it  he  placed  the  bodies  of  his 
wife,  Vincentia,  and  of  his  daughter,  Innocentia. 
After  some  years  he  was  premonished  that  his  time 
to  die  had  come.  He  held  service  with  the  people, 
dismissed  them  and  closed  the  cathedral  doors. 
Then,  clothed  in  his  episcopal  robes,  with  one  at- 
tendant, he  went  to  the  sepulchre  of  his  family. 
They  raised  the  stone  from  the  tomb,  and  Severus, 
looking  in,  said :  "  My  dear  one,  with  whom  I  lived 
in  love  so  long,  make  room  for  me,  for  this  is  my 
grave,  and  in  death  we  shall  not  be  divided."  Im- 
mediately he  descended  into  the  tomb,  laid  him- 
self down  beside  his  wife  and  daughter,  crossed  his 
hands  upon  his  breast,  looked  up  to  heaven  in  prayer, 
gave  one  sigh  and  fell  asleep. 

Sheppard  (Jack,  the  noted  highwayman,  the 
hero  of  many  a  chap-book  of  his  day,  and  the  hero 
and  title  of  a  novel  by  Defoe,  and  one  by  Ains- 
worth),  1701-1724.  "I  have  ever  cherished  an 
honest  pride;  never  have  I  stooped  to  friendship 
with  Jonathan  Wild,  or  ivith  any  of  his  detestable 
thief-takers;  and  though  on  nndntiful  son  I  never 
damned  my  mother's  eyes." 

255 


Xa0t  Morbs  ot 

Jack  Sheppard  was  a  popular  idol  followed  by 
praise  and  applause  even  to  the  gallows.  "  There 
was  scarce  a  beautiful  woman  in  London  who  did 
not  solace  him  during  his  prison  hours  with  her 
condescension,  and  enrich  him  with  her  gifts.  Not 
only  did  the  President  of  the  Royal  Academy  deign 
to  paint  his  portrait,  but  (a  far  greater  honor)  Ho- 
garth made  him  immortal.  Even  the  King  dis- 
played a  proper  interest,  demanding  a  full  and  pre- 
cise account  of  his  escapes.  The  hero  himself  was 
drunk  with  flattery;  he  bubbled  with  ribaldry;  he 
touched  off  the  most  valiant  of  his  contemporaries 
in  a  ludicrous  phrase.  But  his  chief  delight  was  to 
illustrate  his  prowess  to  his  distinguished  visitors, 
and  nothing  pleased  him  better  than  to  slip  in  and 
out  of  his  chains." 

Not  a  few  of  the  highwaymen  of  the  day  were 
"  gentlemen  "  and  "  coxcombs."  We  have  from 
Swift  a  picture  of  one  such  in  his  sketch  of  "  Clever 
Tom  Clinch,"  who 

While  the  rabble  were  bawling, 
Rode  stately  through  Holborn  to  die  of  his  calling; 
He  stopped  at  the  George  for  a  bottle  of  sack, 
And  promised  to  pay  for  it — when  he  came  back. 
His  waistcoat  and  stockings  and  breeches  were  white. 
His  cap  had  a  new  cherry  ribbon  to  tie't : 
And  the  maids  at  doors  and  the  balconies  ran 
And  cried  "  Lac-a-day !  he's  a  proper  young  man ! " 

Sheridan      (Richard      Brinsley),      1751-1816. 
"  Did  you  know  Burke f "     He  referred  to  Ed- 

256 


mund  Burke,  the  celebrated  orator,  statesman  and 
philosopher. 


Sherman  (John,  distinguished  American  states- 
man, United  States  senator,  and  secretary  of  state), 
1823-1900.  "I  think  you  had  better  send  for  the 
doctor — /  am  so  faint." 

At  three  o'clock  yesterday  morning,  Mr.  Sherman 
took  a  decided  turn  for  the  worse.  At  that  hour  he 
complained  of  feeling  faint  and  asked  that  his  physi- 
cian be  called.  During  the  next  hour  the  patient 
had  several  fainting  spells  and  during  the  day  these 
continued  at  short  intervals.  His  doctor  found  him 
very  weak  and  prescribed  a  stimulant,  but  the  medi- 
cine had  very  little  effect,  and  the  patient  sank  slowly. 
All  day  his  condition  grew  worse,  but  he  retained 
consciousness  till  about  nine  o'clock  last  night.  From 
time  to  time,  yesterday,  Mr.  Sherman  attempted  to 
speak,  but  his  words  were  not  intelligible. 

Albany  Evening  Journal,  Oct.  22,  1900. 

SiCKiNGEN  (Franz  von,  Protestant  leader  and  a 
brave  German  soldier.  He  championed  the  cause  of 
learning  and  protected  Ulrich  von  Hutten,  Reuchlin, 
and  others  from  the  rage  and  oppression  of  Romish 
ecclesiastics),  1481-1523.  "I  have  already  con- 
fessed my  sins  to  God,"  to  his  chaplain  who  inquired 
whether  he  desired  to  confess.  He  was  killed  while 
defending  his  castle  of  Neustall. 

257 


Xast  Mor&s  of 

Sidney  (Algernon,  English  republican  patriot), 
1622-1683.  "  Not  till  the  general  resurrection: 
strike  on!"  to  the  executioner  who,  asked  him  if 
he  would  like  to  rise  again,  after  laying  his  head 
on  the  block. 

Sidney  (Sir  Philip,  English  gentleman,  soldier 
and  author),  1554- 1586.  "  In  me  behold  the  end  of 
the  world  with  all  its  vanities." 

He  was  mortally  wounded  at  Zutphen,  Septem- 
ber, 1586.  After  he  was  wounded  he  called  for 
some  drink,  which  was  brought,  but  before  he  had 
tasted  it,  he  gave  the  bottle  to  a  wounded  soldier, 
saying,  "  Thy  necessity  is  greater  than  mine." 

Smalridge  (George,  Bishop  of  Bristol),  1663- 
17 19.  ''God  be  thanked,  I  have  had  a  very  good 
night." 

Smith  (Joseph,  founder  and  first  prophet  of  the 
Mormon  Church),  1805- 1844.  "  That's  right, 
Brother  Taylor;  parry  them  off  as  zvell  as  yon  can" 
to  the  Mormon  Apostle  John  Taylor  who  was  de- 
fending Smith  and  endeavoring  to  drive  back  the 
mob. 

Smith  amassed  a  large  fortune,  assumed  the  title 
of  lieutenant-general  and  president  of  the  church, 
and  exercised  absolute  authority  over  his  "  saints." 
He  provoked  the  popular  indignation  by  attempts 
to  seduce  the  wives  of  other  men,  and  was  arrested 

258 


3Di5tinoui0be&  /IDen  ant>  Momen 

ana  confined  in  jail  at  Carthage.     In  June,  1844,  ^ 
mob  broke  into  the  jail  and  killed  Joseph  Smith. 
Lippincott's  Biographical  Dictionary. 

"  I  was  sitting  at  one  of  the  front  windows  of  the 
jail,  when  I  saw  a  number  of  men,  with  painted 
faces,  coming  round  the  corner  of  the  jail  and  aim- 
ing toward  the  stairs. 

"  As  Hyrum  fell  he  cried,  '  I  am  a  dead  man,'  and 
spoke  and  moved  no  more.  As  he  fell  Joseph  leaned 
over  him,  and  in  tones  of  deep  and  sad  sympathy 
exclaimed,  '  Oh !  my  poor,  dear  brother  Hyrum ! ' 
While  I  was  engaged  in  parrying  the  guns,  Brother 
Joseph  said,  '  That's  right,  Brother  Taylor ;  parry 
them  ofif  as  well  as  you  can.'  These  were  the  last 
words  I  ever  heard  him  speak  on  earth." 

Martyrdom  of  Smith,  by  Apostle  John  Taylor. 

It  was  believed  that  sacred  as  the  tomb  is  always 
considered  to  be,  there  were  persons  capable  of 
rifling  the  grave  in  order  to  obtain  the  head  of  the 
murdered  Prophet  for  the  purpose  of  exhibiting  it, 
or  placing  it  in  some  phrenological  museum — the 
skull  of  Joseph  Smith  was  worth  money.  This 
apprehension,  in  point  of  fact,  proved  true,  for  the 
place  where  the  bodies  were  supposed  to  be  buried 
was  disturbed  the  night  after  the  interment.  The 
coffins  had  been  filled  with  stones,  etc.,  to  about  the 
weight  which  the  bodies  would  have  been.  The 
remains  of  the  two  brothers  were  then  secretly 
buried  the  same  night  by  a  chosen  few,  in  the  vaults 
beneath  the  temple.     The  ground  was  then  levelled, 

259 


and  pieces  of  rock  and  other  debris  were  scattered 
carelessly  over  the  spot.  But  even  this  was  not  con- 
sidered a  sufficient  safeguard  against  any  violation 
of  the  dead,  and  on  the  following  night  a  still  more 
select  number  exhumed  the  remains,  and  buried 
them  beneath  the  pathway  behind  the  Mansion 
House.  The  bricks  which  formed  the  pathway  were 
carefully  replaced  and  the  earth  removed  was  car- 
ried away  in  sacks  and  thrown  into  the  Mississippi. 
If  this  last  statement  is  true,  the  bodies  must  have 
been  removed  a  third  time,  as,  since  writing  the 
above,  the  author  has  it  on  unquestionable  authority 
that  they  now  repose  in  quite  a  different  place. 
Brigham  Young  has  endeavored  to  obtain  possession 
of  the  remains  of  the  Prophet,  that  they  might  be 
interred  beneath  the  temple  at  Salt  Lake. 

"  Early  Days  of  Mormonism  "  by  J.  H.  Kennedy. 

Socrates,  470-400  b.  c.  "  Crito,  I  ozve  a  cock  to 
^scidapiiis,  zvill  you  remember  to  pay  the  debt?  " 

He  walked  about  until,  as  he  said,  his  legs  began 
to  fail ;  and  then  he  lay  on  his  back,  according  to  the 
directions,  and  the  man  who  gave  him  the  poison  now 
and  then  looked  at  his  feet  and  legs,  and  after  awhile 
he  pressed  his  foot  hard  and  asked  him  if  he  could 
feel,  and  he  said  "  No ;  "  and  then  his  leg,  and 
so  upward  and  upward,  and  showed  us  that  he  was 
cold  and  stifif.  And  he  felt  them  himself,  and  said, 
"  When  the  poison  reaches  the  heart  that  will  be  the 
end."     He  was  beginning  to  grow  cold  about  the 

260 


Dlstlnauisbe^  /flben  anD  TKHomen 

groin,  when  he  uncovered  his  face,  for  he  had  cov- 
ered himself  up,  and  said  (they  were  his  last  words) 
— he  said :  "  Crito,  I  owe  a  cock  to  ^sculapius, 
will  you  remember  to  pay  the  debt?"  "The  debt 
shall  be  paid,"  said  Crito.  "  Is  there  anything 
else?"  There  was  no  answer  to  this  question,  but 
in  a  minute  or  two  a  movement  was  heard  and  the 
attendants  uncovered  him;  his  eyes  were  set,  and 
Crito  closed  his  eyes  and  mouth. 

From  Jozvett's  "  Dialogues  of  Plato." 

SoPHONiSBA  (the  wife  of  Syphax,  King  of 
Numidia).  "If  my  husband  has  for  his  nezv  zvife 
no  better  gift  than  a  cup  of  death,  I  bozv  to  his  zvill 
and  accept  zvhat  he  bcstozvs.  I  might  have  died 
more  honorably  if  I  had  not  zvedded  so  near  to  my 
funeral." 

Sophonisba  was  taken  prisoner  by  Masinissa  who 
had  been  formerly  her  lover.  He  married  her,  but, 
yielding  to  Scipio,  who  feared  that  she  would  influ- 
ence her  husband  in  favor  of  Carthage,  he  sent  her 
a  cup  of  poison,  bidding  her  remember  her  birth  and 
estate. 

SouTHCOTT  (Joanna,  a  religious  impostor  who 
was  probably  of  unsound  mind),  1750-1814.  ''If 
I  have  been  deceived,  doubtless  it  was  the  work  of  a 
spirit;  whether  that  spirit  zvas  good  or  bad  I  do  not 
know."     Last  recorded  words. 

261 


In  the  last  year  of  her  Hfe  she  secluded  herself 
from  the  world,  and  especially  from  the  society  of 
the  other  sex,  and  gave  it  out  that  she  was  with 
child  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  that  she  would  give 
birth  to  the  Shiloh  promised  to  Jacob,  which  should 
be  the  second  coming  of  Christ.  Her  prophecy  was 
that  she  was  to  be  delivered  on  the  19th  of  October, 
1814,  at  midnight;  being  then  upwards  of  sixty 
years  of  age. 

This  announcement  seemed  not  unlikely  to  be 
verified,  for  there  was  an  external  appearance  of 
pregnancy ;  and  her  followers,  who  are  said  to  have 
amounted  at  that  time  to  100,000,  were  in  the  highest 
state  of  excitement.  A  splendid  and  expensive  cradle 
was  made,  and  considerable  sums  were  contributed  in 
order  to  have  other  things  prepared  in  a  style  worthy 
of  the  expected  Shiloh.  On  the  night  of  the  19th 
of  October  a  large  number  of  persons  assembled  in 
the  street  in  which  she  lived,  waiting  to  hear  the 
announcement  of  the  looked-for  event ;  but  the  hour 
of  midnight  passed  over,  and  the  crowd  were  only 
induced  to  disperse  by  being  informed  that  Mrs. 
Southcott  had  fallen  into  a  trance. 

Chambers'  Miscellany. 

After  the  death  of  Joanna  Southcott,  her  followers 
refused  to  believe  her  dead,  and  consented  to  a  post- 
mortem examination  of  her  body,  only  when  decom- 
position had  actually  commenced.  After  her  burial 
they  formed  themselves  into  a  religious  society  which 
they  called  the  Southcottian  church,  and  professed  to 

262 


Dlstinguisbeb  men  an&  momen 

believe  that  she  would  rise  from  the  dead  and  bring 
forth  the  promised  Shiloh. 

Spinoza  (Baruch,  his  Hebrew  name  which  he 
translated  into  Latin  as  Benedictus),  1632- 1677. 
There  can  be  no  certainty  with  regard  to  the  last 
hours  of  Spinoza.  There  was  with  him  at  the  time  of 
his  death  but  one  friend  who  refused  to  make  any 
disclosure,  and  who  chose  to  pass  to  his  own  grave 
in  silent  possession  of  the  secret.  Nevertheless  a  re- 
port prevailed,  and  was  for  a  time  believed,  that 
Spinoza  died  in  great  fear  and  distress  of  mind,  and 
that  with  his  last  breath  he  cried  out :  ""  God  have 
mercy  upon  me,  and  be  gracious  to  me,  a  miserable 
sinner!"  Another  report,  equally  without  founda- 
tion, represented  the  great  Dutch  philosopher  as  re- 
sorting to  suicide  when  he  saw  death  drawing  near. 

Spinoza  is  regarded  as  the  ablest  of  modern  pan- 
theistic philosophers.  Dugald  Stewart  goes  so  far 
as  to  call  him  an  Atheist :  "  In  no  part  of  Spinoza's 
works  has  he  avowed  himself  an  Atheist ;  but  it  will 
not  be  disputed  by  those  who  comprehend  the  drift 
of  his  reasonings,  that,  in  point  of  practical  tendency, 
Atheism  and  Spinozism  are  one  and  the  same." 
During  his  life  he  awakened  in  the  minds  of  some  of 
the  ablest  men  of  letters  and  religion  a  bitter  hatred 
it  is  now  difficult  to  understand.  It  is  but  fifty  years 
ago  that  Karel  Luinman,  at  that  time  minister  of 
the  Reformed  church  at  Middleburg,  said :  "  Spit 
on  that  grave — there  lies  Spinoza."    Later  Froude, 

263 


Xast  Mor^s  of 

Lewes  and  Maurice  have  described  him  as  a  calm, 
brave  man  who  lived  nobly,  and  confronted  disease 
and  death  with  a  deeply  religious  faith.  Coleridge 
pronounced  the  Pantheism  of  Spinoza  preferable  to 
modern  Deism,  which  he  held  to  be  but  "  the  hypoc- 
risy of  Materialism."  Schleiermacher  vindicated  the 
memory  of  the  great  philosopher  after  the  following 
fashion :  "  Offer  up  reverently  with  me  a  lock  of 
hair  to  the  manes  of  the  rejected  but  holy  Spinoza ! 
The  great  Spirit  of  the  Universe  filled  his  soul ;  the 
Infinite  to  him  was  beginning  and  end ;  the  Universal 
his  sole  and  only  love.  Dwelling  in  holy  innocence 
and  deep  humility  among  men,  he  saw  himself  mir- 
rored in  the  eternal  world,  and  the  eternal  world  not 
all  unworthily  reflected  back  in  him.  Full  of  religion 
was  he,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  therefore  it  is 
that  he  meets  us  standing  alone  in  his  age,  raised 
above  the  profane  multitude,  master  of  his  art,  but 
without  disciples  and  the  citizen's  rights."  Probably 
the  truth  of  the  matter  is  that  Spinoza  was  a  man  of 
pure,  brave  and  simple  life;  of  gentle  disposition; 
and  of  rare  philosophical  abilities  and  attainments; 
but  whose  system,  though  possessed  of  much  that  is 
true  and  good,  is  yet  essentially  opposed  to  God's 
revelation  of  himself  in  the  sacred  Scriptures,  and  in 
the  person  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

"  Even  people  who  lived  in  the  same  house  with 
him  never  suspected  how  rapidly  death  was  approach- 
ing. He  had  come  down,  as  he  generally  did  in  the 
evening,  and  talked  for  a  long  time  with  his  com- 

264 


Distfnonisbeb  /IDen  an&  Momen 

panions  about  the  sermons  which  they  had  just  heard. 
That  evening  he  went  to  bed  earher  than  usual.  The 
next  day,  February  23,  1677,  he  came  once  more 
downstairs,  before  church-time  to  speak  with  his 
friends.  In  the  meantime  Dr.  Ludwig  Meyer,  of 
Amsterdam,  to  whom  Spinoza  had  written,  arrived. 
He  gave  his  suffering  friend  such  medical  assist- 
ance as  he  could ;  and,  amongst  other  orders,  desired 
the  landlady  to  kill  a  chicken,  that  Spinoza  might 
have  some  soup  for  dinner.  This  was  done,  and  Spi- 
noza ate  the  soup  with  a  good  appetite.  When  Van 
der  Spyck  and  his  wife  returned  from  the  afternoon 
service,  they  heard  that  Spinoza  had  died  about  three 
o'clock.  Nobody  was  with  him  in  his  last  hours  ex- 
cept the  doctor  from  Amsterdam,  who  went  away 
again  the  same  evening." 

Kimo  Fisher's  Lecture  on  "  The  Life  and  Char- 
acter of  Spinoza." 

Stael-Holstein  (Anna  Louise  Germaine  Necker, 
Baroness  de),  1766- 18 17.  "I  have  loved  God,  my 
father  and  liberty.^' 

Stafford  (William  Howard,  Viscount  of), 
16 1 2-1680.  "  This  block  zvill  be  my  pillow,  and  I 
shall  repose  there  zvell,  zvithout  pain,  grief  or  fear." 
He  was  accused  by  Titus  Oates  of  complicity  in  the 
Popish  Plot,  and  was  convicted  of  treason.  He  was 
probably  innocent.  His  last  words  were  spoken  at 
the  place  of  execution,  and  show  how  noble  and  calm 
was  his  spirit  in  the  presence  of  death. 

265 


Xast  miov^s  of 

Stafford's  brother  accompanied  him  to  the  place  of 
execution,  weeping.  "  Brother,"  said  he,  "  why  do 
you  grieve  thus;  do  you  see  anything  in  my  Hfe  or 
death  which  can  cause  you  to  feel  any  shame?  Do 
I  tremble  like  a  criminal  or  boast  like  an  Atheist? 
Come,  be  firm,  and  think  only  that  this  is  my  third 
marriage,  that  you  are  my  bridesman." 

Lamartine's  Cromwell. 

Stambuloff  (Stefan  N.,  ex-Prime  Minister  of 
Bulgaria,  called  "The  Bismarck  of  Bulgaria"), 
1853-1895.     "  God  protect  Bulgaria." 

Stanley  (Arthur  Penrhyn,  Dean  of  Westmin- 
ster, and  the  leader  of  the  "  Broad  Church  "  party), 
18 1 5- 188 1.  ''So  far  as  I  have  understood  zuliat  the 
duties  of  my  office  zvere  supposed  to  he,  in  spite  of 
every  incompetence,  I  am  yet  humbly  trustful  that  I 
have  sustained  before  the  mind  of  the  nation  the 
extraordinary  value  of  the  Abbey  as  a  religious,  na- 
tional and  liberal  institution."  Later  he  said :  ''  The 
end  has  come  in  the  zvay  in  zvliich  I  most  desired  it 
should  come.  I  could  not  have  controlled  it  better. 
After  preaching  one  of  my  sermons  on  the  beatitudes, 
I  had  a  most  violent  fit  of  sickness,  took  to  my  bed, 
and  said  immediately  that  I  wished  to  die  at  West- 
minster. I  am  perfectly  happy,  perfectly  satisfied; 
I  have  no  misgivings."  His  last  recorded  words 
were :  "  I  zvish  Vaughan  to  preach  my  funeral  ser- 
mon, because  he  has  knozvn  me  longest." 

266 


Distlnguisbeb  /IDen  anb  Momen 

Steele  (Miss  Anne,  the  author  of  many  beautiful 
and  familiar  hymns),  1716-1778:  "I  knoiv  that 
my  Redeemer  liveth."  The  following  lines  are  in- 
scribed on  her  tomb : 

Silent  the  lyre,  and  dumb  the  tuneful  tongue, 
That  sung  on  earth  her  dear  Redeemer's  praise ; 

But  now  in  heaven  she  joins  the  angelic  song, 
In  more  harmonious,  more  exalted  lays. 

Stephen  (first  Christian  martyr),  "  Lord,  lay  not 
this  sin  to  their  charge/' — Acts  vii:  60. 

Stevens  (Thaddeus,  American  statesman  and 
opponent  of  slavery;  a  man  of  great  ability  and 
nobleness  of  spirit),  1793-1868. 

Two  colored  clergymen  called  and  asked  leave  to 
see  Stevens  and  pray  with  him.  He  ordered  them  to 
be  admitted ;  and  when  they  had  come  to  his  bedside, 
he  turned  and  held  out  his  hand  to  one  of  them. 
They  sang  a  hymn  and  prayed.  During  the  prayer  he 
responded  twice,  but  could  not  be  understood.  Soon 
afterward  the  Sisters  of  Charity  prayed,  and  he 
seemed  deeply  affected.  The  doctor  told  him  that  he 
was  dying.  He  made  a  motion  with  his  head,  but  no 
other  reply.  One  of  the  sisters  asked  leave  to  baptize 
him,  and  it  was  granted,  but  whether  by  Stevens  or 
his  nephew  is  not  clear.  She  performed  the  cere- 
mony with  a  glass  of  water,  a  portion  of  which  was 
poured  upon  his  forehead.  The  end  came  before  the 
beginning  of  the  next  day.  He  lay  motionless  for  a 
few  moments,  then  opened  his  eyes,  took  one  look, 

267 


Xast  TKIlor&s  ot 

placidly  closed  them,  and,  without  a  struggle,  the 
great  commoner  had  ceased  to  breathe. 

Samuel  IV.  McCall:  "  Life  of  Stevens/' 
On  his  monument  reared  over  his  grave  are  in- 
scribed by  his  direction,  these  words :  "  I  repose  in 
this  quiet  and  secluded  spot,  not  from  any  natural 
preference  for  solitude,  but  finding  other  cemeteries 
limited  as  to  race  by  charter  rules,  I  have  chosen  this, 
that  I  might  illustrate  in  my  death  the  principles 
which  I  advocated  through  a  long  life,  (the)  equality 
of  Man  before  his  Creator." 

/  Stevenson  (Robert  Louis,  English  author), 
1850-1894.  "What  is  that?"  He  felt  a  sudden 
pain  in  his  head,  and,  clasping  his  forehead  with 
both  hands,  he  exclaimed,  "  What  is  that?  "  and  soon 
after  ceased  to  breathe.  ^ 


*  According  to  a  writer  in  the  Chicago  "  Open  Court,"  the 
main  cause  of  the  death  of  Robert  Louis  Stevenson  was  prob- 
ably his  consumption  of  tobacco.  Two  years  before  his  death 
he  confessed  that  his  bill  for  cigars  amounted  to  $450  a  year; 
and  during  the  last  six  months  of  his  life  he  smoked  an  aver- 
age of  forty  cigarettes  per  day,  and  often  as  many  as  eighty 
in  twenty-four  hours.  Can  any  one  wonder  that  this  frightful 
habit  induced  chronic  insomnia,  to  cure  or  lessen  which  he 
smoked  all  night,  till  narcosis  of  the  brain  brought  on  stupe- 
faction and  temporary  loss  of  consciousness — for  weeks  his 
nearest  approach  to  refreshing  slumber.  His  physician  warned 
him  in  vain  that  he  was  burning  life's  candle  at  both  ends, 
for  he  tried  to  write  in  spite  of  his  misery ;  but  he  stuck  to 
nicotine  as  the  only  specific  for  his  nervousness,  with  the  re- 
sult   that    was    inevitable, — his    death    a    year    afterwards. — 

Mathews:     "  Nugw  Litterariw." 

268 


Bistinouisbeb  /IDen  anb  Momen 

The  Academy  tells  this  of  Stevenson :  "  An  old 
friend  had  set  his  beautiful  lines  to  music: 

Under  the  wide  and  starry  sky 
Dig  the  grave  and  let  me  lie. 
Glad  did  I  live,  and  gladly  die, 

And  I  laid  me  down  with  a  will. 
This  be  the  verse  you  grave  for  me: 
Here  he  lies  where  he  longed  to  be ; 
Home  is  the  sailor,  home  from  the  sea. 

And  the  hunter  home  from  the  hill. 

"  He  said  one  evening  at  his  happy  home  in  Mer- 
ton  Abbey,  before  he  started  on  his  last  journey,  that, 
when  out  in  the  Sudan,  he  crooned  himself  to  sleep 
night  after  night  with  those  lines  which  had  been 
set  to  music  by  his  friend.  It  is  fitting  that  he  should 
lie  at  rest  out  there  in  the  spacious  country,  under  the 
wide  and  starry  sky." 

Stonehouse  (Sir  James,  English  physician  and 
clergyman  ) ,   1 7 1 6- 1 795.     "  Precious  salvation  I  " 

Strozzi  (Filippo,  Florentine  statesman),  1488- 
1538.  He  committed  suicide  while  imprisoned  by 
Cosmo  de'  Medici,  the  first  Great  Duke  of  Tuscany. 
As  he  was  dying  he  cut  with  the  point  of  his  sword 
upon  the  mantel-piece,  this  line  from  Virgil : 
"  Exariare  aliquis  nostris  ex  ossibus  iiltor." 

Sumner  (Charles,  distinguished  United  States 
Senator  and  opponent  of  slavery.    He  was  a  man  of 

269 


Xast  Motbs  of 

great  learning  in  history,  political  science  and  polite 
literature;  and,  notwithstanding  the  rare  culture  of 
his  mind  and  tastes,  he  was  always  the  defender  of 
the  poor  and  enslaved),  i8i  1-1874.  "  Sit  down/'  to 
his  friend,  Hon.  Samuel  Hooper,  As  he  uttered 
these  words  his  heart  ruptured,  a  terrible  convulsion 
shook  his  frame,  and  death  came  at  once.  ^ 

A  few  hours  before  Sumner  died  Judge  Hoar 
gave  him  a  message  from  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson, 
to  which  Sumner  replied  with  some  difficulty,  "  Tell 
Emerson  that  I  love  and  revere  him."  Over  and 
over  again  he  said  to  Judge  Hoar,  "  Do  not  let  the 
Civil  Rights  bill  fail !  "  To  the  last  his  mind  was 
engaged  upon  the  great  problems  of  national  interest 
that  had  occupied  him  during  all  the  stormy  days 
of  the  Civil  War. 


*  Rupture  of  the  heart,  it  is  believed,  was  first  described  by 
Harvey;  but  since  his  day  several  cases  have  been  observed. 
Morgagni  has  recorded  a  few  examples :  Amongst  them  that 
of  George  II.,  who  died  suddenly,  of  this  disease  in  1760;  and, 
what  is  very  curious,  Morgagni  himself  fell  a  victim  to  the 
same  malady.  Dr.  Elliotson,  in  his  Lumleyan  Lecture  on 
Diseases  of  the  Heart,  in  1839,  stated  that  he  had  only  seen 
one  instance;  but  in  the  Cyclopaedia  of  Practical  Medicine, 
Dr.  Townsend  gives  a  table  of  twenty-five  cases,  collected 
from  various  authors.  Generally  this  accident  is  consequent 
upon  some  organic  disease,  such  as  fatty  degeneration ;  but  it 
may  arise  from  violent  muscular  exertion,  or  strong  mental 
emotions. — Welhy:    "Mysteries  of  Life,  Death  and  Futurity." 

Dr.  William  Stroud  endeavors  to  prove,  in  his  "  The  Phy- 
sical Cause  of  the  Death  of  Christ,"  that  our  Saviour  died 
upon  the  cross  from  rupture  of  the  heart,  produced  by  agony 
of  mind.  He  says :  "  In  the  garden  of  Gethsemane  Christ 
endured  mental  agony  so  intense  that,  had  it  not  been  limited 

270 


2)istlnoui5beC)  /IDen  ant)  Momen 

SvETCHiNE,  or  SwETCHiNE  (Sophia  Soymonof, 
a  Russian  lady  and  writer),  1782- 1857.  Madame 
Svetchine's  last  words  were,  "  //  will  soon  be  time  for 
mass.  They  must  raise  me."  She  was  a  most  de- 
voted Roman  Catholic. 

SwARTZ  (Frederick  Christian,  Missionary  in 
India),  1726- 1798.  "Had  it  pleased  my  Lord  to 
spare  me  longer  I  should  have  been  glad.  I  should 
then  have  been  able  to  speak  yet  a  zvord  to  the  sick 
and  poor;  but  His  will  be  done!  May  He,  in  mercy, 
but  receive  me!  Into  Thy  hands  I  commend  my 
spirit;  Thou  hast  redeemed  me,  0  Thou  faithful 
God."  After  this  his  Malabar  helpers  sang  a  portion 
of  a  hymn  and  he  endeavored  to  sing  with  them,  but 
his  strength  failing,  he  soon  expired  in  the  arms  of  a 
native  Christian. 

SwEDENBORG  (Emanucl,  Swedish  seer,  philoso- 
pher and  theologian),  1688- 1772.  "It  is  well;  I 
thank  you;  God  bless  you."  He  told  the  Shear- 
smiths  on  what  day  he  should  die;  and  the  servant 

by  divine  interposition,  it  would  probably  have  destroyed  his 
life  without  the  aid  of  any  other  sufferings ;  but  having  been 
thus  mitigated,  its  effects  were  confined  to  violent  palpitation 
of  the  heart,  accompanied  with  bloody  sweat.  On  the  cross 
this  agony  was  renewed,  in  conjunction  with  the  ordinary  suf- 
ferings incidental  to  that  mode  of  punishment ;  and  having  at 
this  time  been  allowed  to  proceed  to  its  utmost  extremity  with- 
out restraint,  occasioned  sudden  death  by  rupture  of  the  heart, 
intimated  by  a  discharge  of  blood  and  water  from  his  side, 
when  it  was  afterward  pierced  with  a  spear." 

271 


Xast  Ximort)5  ot 

remarked :  "  He  was  as  pleased  as  I  should  have 
been  if  I  was  to  have  a  holiday,  or  was  going  to  some 
merry-making.'' 

His  faculties  were  clear  to  the  last.  On  Sunday 
afternoon,  the  29th  day  of  March,  1772,  hearing  the 
clock  strike,  he  asked  his  landlady  and  her  maid,  who 
were  both  sitting  at  his  bed-side,  what  o'clock  it  was ; 
and  upon  being  answered  it  was  five  o'clock,  he  said 
— "  It  is  well ;  I  thank  you ;  God  bless  you ;  "  and  a 
little  after,  he  gently  departed.  ^ 

White's  "  Life  and  Writings  of  Szvedenborg." 

Swift  (Jonathan,  Dean  of  Saint  Patrick's,  Dub- 
lin,   and   author   of   "  The   Tale   of   a   Tub,"    and 


^  Swedenborg  was  buried  in  the  vault  of  the  Swedish 
Church  in  Prince's  Square,  on  April  5,  1772.  In  1790,  in  order 
to  determine  a  question  raised  in  debate,  viz.,  whether  Sweden- 
borg was  really  dead  and  buried,  his  wooden  coffin  was  opened, 
and  the  leaden  one  was  sawn  across  the  breast.  A  few  days 
after,  a  party  of  Swedenborgians  visited  the  vault.  "  Various 
relics"  (says  White:  "Life  of  Swedenborg,"  2nd  ed.,  1868,  p. 
675)  "were  carried  off:  Dr.  Spurgin  told  me  he  possessed 
the  cartilage  of  an  ear.  Exposed  to  the  air,  the  flesh  quickly 
fell  to  dust,  and  a  skeleton  was  all  that  remained  for  subse- 
quent visitors.  ...  At  a  funeral  in  1817,  Granholm,  an 
officer  in  the  Swedish  Navy,  seeing  the  lid  of  Swedenborg's 
coffin  loose,  abstracted  the  skull,  and  hawked  it  about  amongst 
London  Swedenborgians,  but  none  would  buy.  Dr.  Wahlin, 
pastor  of  the  Swedish  Church,  recovered  what  he  supposed 
to  be  the  stolen  skull,  had  a  cast  of  it  taken,  and  placed  it  in 
the  coffin  in  1819.  The  cast  which  is  sometimes  seen  in 
phrenological  collections  is  obviously  not  Swedenborg's :  it  is 
thought  to  be  that  of  a  small  female  skull." 

272 


S)istinoutsbe&  /IDen  an&  Momcn 

"Travels  of  Lemuel  Gulliver"),  1667-1745.  "It 
is  folly;  they  had  better  leave  it  alone/'  to  his  house- 
keeper who  informed  him  that  the  usual  bonfires  and 
illuminations  were  preparing  to  do  honor  to  his  birth- 
day. Some  say  his  last  words  were,  ''  Ah,  a  Ger- 
man! a  prodigy,  admit  him! "  spoken  as  Handel  was 
announced. 

Talleyrand-Perigord  (Charles  Maurice,  cele- 
brated French  diplomatist),  1 754-1838,  "I  am  suf- 
fering, sire,  the  pangs  of  the  damned."  Said  to  the 
king,  Louis  Phillippe,  who  enquired  his  condition. 

Louis  Blanc  (Histoire  de  Dix  Ans.  v.  290J  says 
that  when  Louis  Philippe  called  upon  Talleyrand 
during  that  prince's  last  hours,  he  enquired  if  he  suf- 
fered :  "  Yes,  comme  im  damne,"  answered  Talley- 
rand; at  which  the  king  said  under  his  breath, 
"  What,  already?  "      (Quoi,  deja?) 

Talma   (Frangois  Joseph,  "The  Garrick  of  the 
French  Stage  "),  1770-1826.    "  The  worst  is  I  can 
not  see." 

He  was  interred,  according  to  his  own  directions, 
in  the  cemetery  of  Pere-la-Chaise,  Paris,  without  any 
religious  ceremony,  but  funeral  orations  by  Jouy  and 
Arnault  were  delivered  at  the  grave.  To  change,  it  is 
alleged,  his  resolution  on  this  score,  the  Archbishop 
of  Paris  had  sought  an  interview,  but  in  vain.  Tal- 
ma's conduct,  it  is  supposed,  proceeded  from  his 
resentment  at  the  excommunication  pronounced  by 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church  against  actors. 

273 


Tasso  (Torquato),  1544-1595.  ''Lord,  info  Thy 
hands  I  commend  my  spirit." 

When  a  guest  of  Rome,  lodged  in  the  Vatican, 
waiting  to  be  crowned  with  laurel — the  first  poet  so 
honored  since  Petrarch — he  sighed  to  flee  away  and 
be  at  rest.  Growing  very  ill,  he  obtained  permission 
to  retire  to  the  Monastery  of  Saint  Onofrio.  When 
the  physician  informed  him  that  his  last  hour  was 
near,  he  embraced  him,  expressed  his  gratitude  for  so 
sweet  an  announcement,  and  then,  lifting  his  eyes, 
thanked  God  that  after  so  tempestuous  a  life  he  was 
now  brought  to  a  calm  haven.  The  Pope  having 
granted  the  dying  poet  a  plenary  indulgence,  he  said, 
"  This  is  the  chariot  on  which  I  hope  to  go  crowned, 
not  with  laurel  as  a  poet  into  the  capital,  but  with 
glory  as  a  saint  into  heaven." 

Alger's  "  Genius  of  Solitude." 

Just  before  his  death  he  requested  Cardinal  Cyn- 
thia to  collect  his  works  and  commit  them  to  the 
flames,  especially  his  "  Jerusalem  Delivered." 

Taylor  (Bayard,  traveller,  poet  and  lecturer;  the 
translator  of  Goethe's  "Faust"),  1825-1878.  "I 
want,  oh,  you  know  what  I  mean,  the  stuff  of  life." 

Taylor  (Edward  T.,  an  American  preacher 
known  as  "Father  Taylor"),  1793-1871.  "Why, 
certainly,  certainly !  "  These  words  were  spoken  to  a 
friend  who  asked  him  if  Jesus  was  precious.  He  be- 
came a  sailor,  and  was  for  many  years  the  chaplain 
of  the  Seamen's  Bethel,  Boston. 

274 


2)tsttnoutBbe5  ^en  anb  Momcn 

Taylor  (Jane,  writer  for  the  young),  1783- 1823. 
"  Are  we  not  children,  all  of  usf  " 

Taylor  (Jeremy,  distinguished  bishop  in  the  Eng- 
lish Church,  and  author  of  "  Holy  Living  and 
Dying."  He  has  been  called  "  The  Shakspeare  of 
Divines  "),  1613-1667.     "  My  trust  is  in  God." 

Taylor  (John,  "  The  Water  Poet."  He  followed 
for  a  long  time  the  occupation  of  waterman  on  the 
Thames,  and  later  kept  a  public  house  in  Phoenix 
Alley,  Long  Acre),  1580-1654.  "How  sweet  it  is 
to  rest! " 

Taylor  (Rev.  Dr.  Rowland),  -1555.  He  said 
as  he  was  going  to  martyrdom,  "  I  shall  this  day  de- 
ceive the  worms  in  Hadley  churchyard."  ^  And 
when  he  came  within  two  miles  of  Hadley,  "  Now," 
said  he,  "  lack  I  but  two  stiles ;  and  I  am  even  at  my 


'  Being  asked  by  the  sheriflf  to  explain  these  words,  he  said : 
"  I  am  as  you  see,  a  man  that  hath  a  very  great  carcass,  which 
I  thought  should  have  been  buried  in  Hadley  churchyard,  if 
I  had  died  in  my  bed,  as  I  well  hoped  I  should  have  done. 
But  herein  I  see  I  was  deceived.  And  there  are  a  great  num- 
ber of  worms  in  Hadley  churchyard,  which  should  have  had 
jolly  feeding  upon  this  carrion  which  they  have  looked  for 
many  a  day.  But  now  I  know  we  be  deceived,  both  I  and 
they;  for  this  carcass  must  be  burnt  to  ashes,  and  so  shall 
they  lose  their  bait  and  feeding  that  they  looked  to  have  had 
of  it."  Fox,  the  martyrologist,  adds  that,  "  when  the  sheriff 
and  his  company  heard  these  words  they  were  amazed,  and 
looked  at  one  another,  marvelling  at  the  man's  constant  mind, 
that  thus  without  all  fear  made  but  a  jest  at  the  cruel  torment 
and  deaih  now  at  hand  prepared  for  him." 


Xast  Mort)6  of 

Father's  house."  His  last  words  were,  "  Lord,  receive 
my  spirit." 

Taylor  (Zachary,  American  general  and  twelfth 
President  of  the  United  States),  1784- 1850.  "  I  am 
about  to  die.  I  expect  the  summons  soon.  I  have  en- 
deavored to  discharge  all  my  official  duties  faithfully. 
I  regret  nothing,  hut  am  sorry  that  I  am  about  to 
leave  my  friends." 

Tenderden  (Lord),  "  Gentlemen  of  the  jury,  you 
will  now  consider  of  your  verdict." 

Tennent  (William,  Pastor  of  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Freehold,  N.  J.  His  name  has  been  ren- 
dered famous  by  his  peculiar  experience  which  at  the 
time  attracted  the  attention  of  the  entire  country. 
During  an  attack  of  fever,  he  fell  into  a  trance  which 
continued  three  days.  He  was  supposed  to  be  dead, 
and  was  prepared  for  burial ;  but  suddenly  he  recov- 
ered, and  gave  a  description  of  what  he  had  seen  in 
the  Heavenly  world.  He  never  doubted  to  the  last 
day  of  his  life  that  he  had  seen  the  New  Jerusalem 
during  the  three  days  of  his  trance.  Elias  Boudinot 
published  a  circumstantial  account  of  the  wonder- 
ful vision),  1 705- 1 777.  ""/  am  sensible  of  the  vio- 
lence of  my  disorder,  and  that  it  is  accompanied 
zvith  symptoms  of  approaching  dissolution;  but, 
blessed  be  God,  I  have  no  wish  to  live,  if  it  should  he 
His  will  to  call  me  hence." 

276 


Df6tinaui9be&  /IDen  ant)  Momen 

Tennyson  (Alfred,  Lord,  Poet-laureate  of  Eng- 
land), 1809- 1892.  "  I  have  opened  it/*  These  are 
the  last  words  of  the  poet  that  have  been  made  public ; 
later  he  bade  his  family  farewell,  but  what  he  said 
has  never  been  published. 

His  last  food  was  taken  at  a  quarter  of  four,  and 
he  tried  to  read,  but  could  not.  He  exclaimed,  "  I 
have  opened  it."  Whether  this  referred  to  the 
Shakspeare,  opened  by  him  at 

Hang  there  like  fruit,  my  soul, 
Till  the  tree  die, 

which  he  always  called  among  the  tenderest  lines  in 
Shakspeare,  or  whether  one  of  his  last  poems,  of 
which  he  was  fond,  was  running  through  his  head  I 
cannot  tell: 

Fear  not,  thou,  the  hidden  purpose  of  that  Power 

Which  alone  is  great. 
Nor  the  myriad  world,  his  shadow,  nor  the  silent 

Opener  of  the  Gate. 

He  then  spoke  his  last  words,  a  farewell  blessing  to 
my  mother  and  myself. 

For  the  next  hours  the  full  moon  flooded  the  room 
and  the  great  landscape  outside  with  light;  and  we 
watched  in  solemn  stillness.  His  patience  and  quiet 
strength  had  power  upon  those  who  were  nearest  and 
dearest  to  him ;  we  felt  thankful  for  the  love  and  the 
utter  peace  of  it  all;  and  his  own  lines  of  comfort 
from  "  In  Mernoriam  "  were  strongly  borne  in  upon 
us.     He  was  quite  restful,  holding  my  wife's  hand, 

277 


Xast  Mor^s  ot 

and,  as  he  was  passing  away,  I  spoke  over  him  his 
own  prayer,  "  God  accept  him !  Christ  receive  him !  " 
because  I  knew  that  he  would  have  wished  it. 
Alfred,  Lord  Tennyson,  a  Memoir  by  his  son. 

Terchout  (Adele — "La  Comete").  The  gay 
and  thoughtless  life  of  this  beautiful  young  woman 
ended  in  sad  regrets  and  bitter  remembrances,  and 
yet  there  is  some  slight  hope  that  there  was  with  her 
at  last  a  thought  real,  if  not  deep,  of  better  things. 

Does  any  one  remember  a  beautiful  girl  who  went 
by  the  nickname  of  "  La  Comete,"  and  flashed 
through  the  Parisian  world  during  the  last  year  of 
the  Second  Empire?  She  was  called  "  Comet  "  on 
account  of  the  exceeding  length  and  loveliness  of  her 
golden  hair.  Theophile  Gautier  wrote  a  sonnet  to 
her,  Cabanel  painted  her  portrait,  Worth  dressed 
her,  and  Leon  Cugnot  took  her  as  the  model  of  his 
statue,  "  La  Baigneuse."  Her  real  name  was  Adele 
Terchout,  and  just  before  the  Franco-German  war 
broke  out  she  declined  an  offer  of  marriage  from 
an  elderly  duke,  with  a  very  ancient  escutcheon.  At 
that  time  she  owned  one  of  the  finest  mansions  in 
the  Champs  Elysees,  had  twelve  horses  in  her  stables 
and  a  bushel  of  diamonds  in  her  dressing-case.  Last 
week  this  dazzling  creature  died  in  a  Parisian  hospi- 
tal absolutely  destitute,  and  the  disease  which  carried 
her  off  was  the  most  hideous  that  could  befall  a 
pretty  woman — a  lupus  vorax,  or  cancer  in  the  face, 
which  totally  disfigured  her.     Like  Zola's  "  Nana," 

278 


the  only  vestige  left  of  her  beauty  when  she  died  was 
her  matchless  hair,  which  measured  nearly  five  feet. 

London  Truth. 

Theophrastus  (eminent  Greek  philosopher.  He 
was  a  favorite  pupil  of  Aristotle  whom  he  succeeded 
as  President  of  the  Lyceum  b.  c.  322),  about  b.  c. 
374-286.  This  philosopher's  last  words  are  not  re- 
corded, but  on  his  death-bed  he  accused  Nature  of 
cruelty.  He  charged  her  with  having  given  a  long 
life  to  stags  and  crows,  and  only  a  short  one  to  men 
and  women  who  are  so  much  better  able  to  use  for 
their  own  good  and  that  of  others  length  of  days. 
He  declared  that  human  beings  needed  long  life  for 
the  perfection  of  art.  He  complained  that  as  soon 
as  he  had  begun  to  perceive  the  beauty  of  the  world 
he  was  called  upon  to  die.  * 

Theresa  or  Teresa  ("  Saint,"  Spanish  nun,  au- 
thor of  a  number  of  devotional  books,  a  visionary  of 
whom  many  wonderful  miracles  are  related.  She 
was  canonized  by  Pope  Gregory  XV.),  15 15-1582. 
"  Over  my  spirit  Hash  and  Hoat  in  divine  radiancy 
fhc  bright  and  glorious  visions  of  the  world  to  zuhich 
I  go."  The  claim  of  celestial  illumination  was  made 
by  her  throughout  her  entire  life  and  in  the  hour  of 
death,  but  just  what  were  her  last  words  is  very  un- 
certain. 


'  Thus  also  did  Themistocles,  the  most  renowned  of  Grecian 
generals,  grieve  that  when  he  had  acquired  the  wisdom  neces- 
s.Ty  for  a  useful  life,  it  was  time  to  die. 

279 


Xast  Mor&s  ot 

At  her  death-bed  the  bystanders  beheld  her  already 
in  glory ;  to  one  she  appeared  in  the  midst  of  angels, 
another  saw  floating  over  her  head  a  heavenly  light 
that  descended  and  hovered  about  her/  another  dis- 
covered spiritual  beings  clothed  in  white  entering  her 
cell,  another  saw  a  white  dove  fly  from  her  mouth  up 
to  heaven,  while  at  the  same  time  a  dead  tree  near  the 
sacred  spot  suddenly  burst  into  the  fullness  of 
bloom.^ 


'  The  luminous  faces  and  bodies  of  martyrs  and  saints  are 
common  enough  in  the  chronicles  of  mediaeval  miracles.  Some 
modern  physicians  think  there  were  physiological  causes  for 
the  strange  and,  at  the  time,  startling  phenomena. 

Bartholin,  in  his  treatise  "  De  Luce  Hominum  et  Brutorum  " 
(1647),  gives  an  account  of  an  Italian  lady  whom  he  desig- 
nates as  "  mulier  splendens,"  whose  body  shone  with  phos- 
phoric radiations  when  gently  rubbed  with  dry  linen ;  and 
Dr.  Kane,  in  his  last  vo^'age  to  the  polar  regions,  witnessed 
almost  as  remarkable  a  case  of  phosphorescence.  A  few  cases 
are  recorded  by  Sir  H.  Marsh,  Professor  Donovan  and  other 
undoubted  authorities,  in  which  the  human  body,  shortly  be- 
fore death,  has  presented  a  pale,  luminous  appearance. 

On  the  eve  of  St.  Alcuin's  death  (May  19th,  804),  the  entire 
monastery  was  enveloped  in  a  mysterious  light,  so  that  many 
thought  the  building  was  on  fire.  The  soul  of  the  saint  was 
seen  to  ascend  in  the  form  of  a  dove,  and  the  spectators  heard 
celestial  music  in  the  air. — Early  Superstitions. 

The  soul  of  St.  Engelbert  while  going  up  to  heaven  was  so 
bright  that  St.  Hermann  mistook  it  for  the  moon. 

Andrew  Jackson  Davis  (the  "  Poughkeepsie  Seer")  records 
that  while  in  the  clairvoyant  condition  he  saw  the  entire  pro- 
cess of  the  soul's  disengagement  from  the  body. — "  The  Great 
Harmonia,"  vol.  i,  p.  163. 

'  It  was  commonly  believed  that  the  immortal  soul  escaped 

280 


2)istfn(}ufsbet>  ^en  ant)  Momen 

After  her  death  she  appeared  to  a  nun  and  said  that 
she  had  not  died  of  disease,  but  of  the  intolerable  fire 
of  divine  love. 

Salazar:  "  Anamnesis  Sanctorum  Hispanorum." 

Thoreau  (Henry  David,  American  author  and 
naturalist ) ,  1 8 1 7- 1 862.  ''  /  leave  th  is  ivorld  zvithout 
a  regret." 

He  was  bred  to  no  profession;  and  it  is  said  that 
he  never  went  to  church,  never  voted,  and  never  paid 
a  tax  to  the  state  though  he  was  imprisoned  for  not 
doing  so.  He  ate  no  flesh,  drank  no  wine,  never 
knew  the  use  of  tobacco,  and  never  (though  a  natur- 
alist) used  either  trap  or  gun. — Emerson. 

He  lived  in  the  simplest  manner;  he  sometimes 
practised  the  business  of  land-surveyor.  In  1845  he 
built  a  small  frame  house  on  the  shore  of  Walden 
Pond,  near  Concord,  where  he  lived  two  years  as  a 
hermit,  in  studious  retirement.  He  published  an  ac- 
count of  this  portion  of  his  life,  in  a  small  book  en- 
titled "  Walden." — Lippincott. 

Thoreau  was  a  kind  and  good  man,  but  a  multitude 
of  eccentricities  separated  him  from  the  average  life 

from  the  dead  body  through  the  mouth.  Sometimes  it  passed 
out  under  the  form  of  a  bird,  and  sometimes  it  seemed  to  be 
a  vapor.  The  appearance  of  the  departing  soul  is  mentioned 
as  a  known  fact,  by  the  celebrated  mystic,  Jacob  Bohmen,  in 
his  curious  book,  "  The  Three  Principles,"  where  it  is  de- 
scribed as  that  of  "  a  blue  vapor  going  forth  out  of  the  mouth 
of  a  dying  man,  which  maketh  a  strong  smell  all  over  the 
chamber." 

281 


Xa0t  Mortis  of 

of  man  and  removed  him  from  the  common  sympathy 
of  his  race.  His  Httle  house  on  the  shore  of  Wal- 
den  Pond  he  constructed  with  his  own  hands,  be- 
cause he  thought  that  men  should  be  able  to  do  as 
much  as  the  birds  who  build  their  own  nests.  The 
entire  house  cost  him  less  than  thirty  dollars ;  and  in 
it  he  lived  at  an  expense  of  about  twenty-seven  cents 
a  week.  The  house  had  neither  lock  nor  curtain,  and 
was  unprotected  day  and  night.  The  door  was  sel- 
dom closed,  and  the  window  was  often  wide-open  in 
the  midst  of  a  winter  storm.  "  I  am  no  more  lonely," 
he  wrote,  "  than  Walden  Pond  itself.  What  com- 
pany has  that,  I  pray?  And  yet  it  has  not  the  blue 
devils,  but  blue  angels  in  it,  in  the  azure  tint  of  its 
waters."  It  is  said  that  he  could  tell  the  day  of 
each  month  by  the  trees  and  flowers. 

Thurlow  (Edward,  Lord  Chancellor  in  the  reign 
of  George  III.),  1732- 1806.  "  I'll  he  shot  if  I  don't 
believe  I'm  dying." 

Tiberius  (Claudius  Nero,  Roman  Emperor),  b. 
c.  42 — A.  D.  2)7 •  Finding  himself  dying,  he  took  his 
signet  ring  ofif  his  finger,  and  held  it  awhile,  as  if  he 
would  deliver  it  to  somebody ;  but  put  it  again  on  his 
finger,  and  lay  for  some  time,  with  his  left  hand 
clenched,  and  without  stirring;  when  suddenly  sum- 
moning his  attendants,  and  no  one  answering  the  call, 
he  rose;  but  his  strength  failing  him.  he  fell  down  at 
a  short  distance  from  his  bed. — Seneca. 

282 


BistingufsbeD  /IDen  anJ>  XKaomen 

He  died  without  appointing  his  successor,  but  the 
people  cared  little  for  that.  They  rejoiced  at  his 
death,  and  ran  through  the  streets  of  Rome  crying, 
"  Away  with  Tiberius  to  the  Tiber." 

TiLDEN  (Samuel  Jones,  distinguished  American 
lawyer  and  politician.  He  was  twice  a  representa- 
tive in  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York,  a 
member  of  two  Constitutional  Conventions,  Gover- 
nor of  the  State  of  New  York  for  two  years,  and  a 
candidate  for  the  Presidency  of  the  United  States), 
i8t4-t886.     "  Water." 

During  the  closing  hours  of  life  he  suffered  greatly 
from  thirst. 

TiMROD  (Henry,  American  poet),  1829- 1867. 
"  Never  mind,  I  shall  soon  drink  of  the  river  of 
Eternal  Life,"  on  finding  that  he  could  no  longer 
svv'allow  water." 

"  An  unquenchable  thirst  consumed  him.  Nothing 
could  allay  that  dreadful  torture.  He  whispered  as 
I  placed  the  water  to  his  lips,  '  Don't  you  remember 
that  passage  I  once  quoted  to  you  from  "  King 
John  ?  "  I  had  always  such  a  horror  of  quenchless 
thirst,  and  now  I  suffer  it ! '  He  alluded  to  the 
passage : — 

And  none  of  you  will  let  the  Winter  come, 
To  thrust  his  icy  fingers  in  my  maw ! 

"  Just  a  day  or  two  before  he  left  on  a  visit  to  you 
at  *  Copse  Hill,'  in  one  of  our  evening  rambles  he  had 

283 


Xast  Mort)6  ot 

repeated  the  passage  to  me  with  a  remark  on  the 
extraordinary  force  of  the  words. 

"  Katie  took  my  place  by  him  at  five  o'clock  (in 
the  morning),  and  never  again  left  his  side.  The  last 
spoonful  of  water  she  gave  him  he  could  not  swallow. 
'  Never  mind,'  he  said,  '  I  shall  soon  drink  of  the 
river  of  eternal  Life.' 

"  Shortly  after  he  slept  peacefully  in  Christ." 
From  a  letter  by  Timrod's  sister. 

TiNDAL  (Matthew,  celebrated  author  and  infidel), 
1657-1733.  ''  O  God — //  there  he  a  God — /  desire 
Thee  to  have  mercy  on  me." 

Tindal  is  particularly  celebrated  for  two  publica- 
tions, the  first,  issued  in  1706,  being  entitled,  "The 
Rights  of  the  Christian  Church  Asserted  against  the 
Romish  and  all  other  Priests ;  "  and  the  other,  pub- 
lished in  1730,  called,  "  Christianity  as  Old  as  the 
Creation,  or  the  Gospel  a  Republication  of  the  Re- 
ligion of  Nature." 

Titus  (Flavins  Vespasianus,  Roman  Emperor. 
He  was  called  by  his  subjects,  "  The  love  and  delight 
of  the  human  race"),  40-81.  "My  life  is  taken 
from  me,  though  I  have  done  nothing  to  deserve  it; 
for  there  is  no  action  of  mine  of  zuhich  I  should  re- 
pent, but  one."  What  that  one  action  was  he  did 
not  say. 

ToPLADY  (Rev.  Augustus  Montague,  English 
Calvinistic  clergyman  and  vicar  of  Broad  Henbury, 

284 


Distinouisbe^  /IDen  an&  TKHomen 

Devonshire.  He  was  the  author  of  several  contro- 
versial works  and  of  a  number  of  beautiful  hymns, 
chief  among-  which  is  "  Rock  of  Ages  "),  1740- 1778. 
"  No  mortal  man  can  live  after  the  glories  which  God 
has  manifested  to  my  soul."  ^ 

TuRENNE  (Henry  de  la,  Vicomte,  famous  French 
general,  killed  at  Salzbach  in  July,  1675),  161 1- 
1675.  "I  do  not  mean  to  be  killed  to-day."  Said 
just  before  he  was  struck  by  a  cannon-ball. 

Tyndale,  or  TiNDALE  (William,  the  venerable 
martyr  and  translator  of  the  Bible),  1484- 1536. 
"  Lord,  open  the  eyes  of  the  King  of  England."  He 
was  first  strangled  and  afterward  burnt. 

The  merits  of  Tyndale  must  ever  be  recognized 


'  Dr.  Moore  states  that  when  the  vital  flame  was  flickering, 
the  heart  was  faltering  with  every  pulse,  and  every  breath 
was  a  convulsion,  he  said  to  a  dying  believer,  who  had  not 
long  before  been  talking  in  broken  words  of  undying  love, 
"  Are  you  in  pain  ?  "  and  the  reply,  with  apparently  the  last 
breath,  was,  "  It  is  delightful !  "  In  another  person,  in  whom 
a  gradual  disease  had  so  nearly  exhausted  the  physical  powers 
that  the  darkness  of  death  had  already  produced  blindness, 
the  sense  of  God's  love  was  so  overpowering,  that  every  ex- 
pression for  many  hours  referred  to  it  in  rapturous  words, 
such  as,  "  This  is  life — this  is  heaven — God  is  love — I  need  not 
faith — I  have  the  promise."  It  is  easy  to  attribute  such  ex- 
pressions to  delirium ;  but  this  does  not  alter  their  character, 
nor  the  reality  of  the  state  of  the  soul  which  produces  them. 
Whether  a  dying  man  can  maintain  any  continued  attention 
to  things  through  his  senses,  we  need  not  inquire.  It  is  enough 
for  him,  if,  in  the  spirit,  he  possesses  the  peace  and  joy  of 
believing. — The  Use  of  the  Body  in  Relation  to  the  Mind. 

285 


Xast  Mor&B  of 

and  honored  by  all  who  enjoy  the  English  Bible,  for 
their  authorized  version  of  the  New  Testament  has 
his  for  its  basis.  He  made  good  his  early  boast,  that 
plough-boys  should  have  the  Word  of  God.  His 
friends  speak  of  his  great  simplicity  of  heart,  and 
commend  his  abstemious  habits,  his  zeal  and  his  in- 
dustry ;  while  even  the  imperial  procurator  who  pros- 
ecuted him  styles  him  "  homo,  doctus,  pius  et  bonus." 

Tyndall  (John,  English  physicist,  author  of  many 
scientific  books,  chief  among  which  are  "  Heat  Con- 
sidered as  a  Mode  of  Motion,"  ''  Forms  of  Water  in 
Qouds  and  Rivers,  Ice  and  Glaciers,"  and  "  Floating 
Matter  in  the  Air"),  1820-  It  is  uncertain  what 
were  the  last  words  of  Prof.  Tyndall,  but  the  last 
words  which  he  wrote  for  publication  were  in  re- 
sponse to  a  request  from  an  American  syndicate  for  a 
Christmas  message  to  his  American  friends.  The 
message  closed  with  these  words :  "  I  choose  the 
nobler  part  of  Emerson,  when,  after  various  disen- 
chantments,  he  exclaims,  '  I  covet  truth ! '  The  glad- 
ness of  true  heroism  visits  the  heart  of  him  who  is 
really  competent  to  say  that." 

Tyng  (Dudley  A.,  a  young  and  gifted  clergyman 
whose  last  words  furnished  the  inspiration  for  Rev. 
Dr.  Dufifield's  popular  hymn,  "  Stand  up  for  Jesus  "). 
"  Knoiv  Him?  He  is  my  Saviour — my  all.  Father, 
stand  up  for  Jesus!  " 

Leaving  his  study  for  a  moment,  he  went  to  the 
286 


S)f5tingufBbe^  /IDen  anb  XKHomen 

barn  floor,  where  a  mule  was  at  work  on  a  horse- 
power, shelling  corn.  Patting  him  on  the  neck,  the 
sleeve  of  his  silk  study  gown  caught  in  the  cogs  of 
the  wheel,  and  his  arm  was  torn  out  by  the  roots. 
His  death  occurred  in  a  few  hours.  When  he  was 
dying  his  father  said  to  him,  "  Dudley,  your  mother 
has  your  hand  in  hers,  can  you  press  it  a  little  that  she 
may  know  you  recognize  her?"  The  young  man 
made  no  response.  Later  his  father  said,  "  Dudley, 
do  you  know  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ?"  He  started, 
and  said,  "  Know  Him  ?  He  is  my  Saviour — my  all. 
Father,  stand  up  for  Jesus !  " 

Usher  (James,  Archbishop),  1580-1656.  "Lord, 
forgive  my  sins;  especially  my  sins  of  omission." 
His  last  words  are  sometimes  given  thus,  "  God  be 
merciful  to  me,  a  sinner." 

Valdes  (Gabriel  de  la  Concepcion,  commonly 
known  as  Placido), — 1844.     "Here!  fire  here!" 

Valdes  was  a  full-blooded  negro.  He  was  exe- 
cuted with  twenty  other  persons,  for  conspiracy  to 
liberate  the  black  population,  the  slaves  of  the  Span- 
ish inhabitants  of  Cuba.  The  execution  took  place 
at  Havana,  July,  1844.  Seated  on  a  bench,  with  his 
back  turned,  as  ordered,  to  the  soldiers  appointed  to 
shoot  him,  he  said :  "  Adios,  mundo ;  no  hay  piedad 
para  mi.  Soldados,  fuego."  "  Adieu,  O  world;  here 
is  no  pity  for  me.  Soldiers,  fire."  Five  balls  entered 
his  body.    He  arose,  turned  to  the  soldiers,  and  said, 

287 


Xast  Ximort)s  of 

his  face  wearing  an  expression  of  superhuman  cour- 
age:— "Will  no  one  have  pity  on  me?  Here!" 
pointing  to  his  heart,  "  fire  here!  "  At  that  instant 
two  balls  pierced  his  heart  and  he  fell  dead.  Little 
is  known  of  him  but  his  death,  which  was  described 
in  the  Hcraldo,  of  Madrid.  "  The  Poems  of  a  Cuban 
Slave,"  edited  by  Dr.  Madden,  are  believed  to  have 
been  the  composition  of  the  gifted  Valdes. 

Vanderbilt  (Cornelius  "Commodore,"  Presi- 
dent of  New  York  Central  Railroad  under  whose 
management  that  road  was  consolidated  with  the 
Hudson  River  Railroad.  He  laid  the  foundation  of 
an  extensive  railroad  system  and  of  an  immense  fam- 
ily fortune),  1794- 1877.  "  Yes,  yes,  sing  that  for 
me.  I  am  poor  and  needy,"  to  one  who  was  singing 
to  him  the  familiar  hymn,  "  Come,  ye  sinners,  poor 
and  needy." 

Vane  (Sir  Henry),  1612-1662.  "Blessed  he  God, 
I  have  kept  a  conscience  void  of  offence  to  this  day, 
and  have  not  deserted  the  righteous  cause  for  which  I 
suffer." 

Vane  was  condemned  for  treason,  and  beheaded 
June  14,  1662. 

Vane,  young  in  years,  but  in  sage  counsels  old, 

Than  whom  a  better  senator  ne'er  held 

The  helm  of  Rome,  when  gowns,  not  arms,  repelled 

The  fierce  Epirat  and  the  African  bold, 

Both  spiritual  power  and  civil  thou  hast  learned: 

Therefore  on  thy  firm  hand  religion  leans 

In  peace,  and  reckons  thee  her  eldest  son. — Milton. 

288 


2)fstinGuisbe&  /iDen  an&  Momen 

Vanini  (Lucilio),  1585-1619.  "  Illi  in  ex- 
tremis prae  timore  imbellis  sudor;  ego  imperturbatus 
morior."     See  Gramniond,  Hist.  Gal.  Hi.   211, 

After  travelling  through  Germany,  Holland  and 
England,  he  went  to  Toulouse,  where  he  was  ar- 
rested and  condemned  by  the  parliament  to  be  burned 
alive.  He  wrote  "  Amphitheatrum  ^ternae  Provi- 
dentiae,"  and  ''  De  Admirandis  Naturae  Arcanis," 
for  which  latter  work  he  suffered  in  1619. 

y  Vespasian  (Titus  Flavius,  Roman  Emperor), 
9-79.  "  An  Emperor  ought  to  die  standing."  A 
short  time  before  this  he  said  in  attending  to  the 
apotheosis  of  the  emperors,  "  I  suppose  I  shall  soon 
be  a  god."  / . 

Veuster  de  (Joseph,  the  "  Leper-Priest  of  Molo- 
kai."  When  he  became  "  religious  "  he  took  the 
name  of  Damien,  after  the  second  of  two  brothers, 
Cosmos  and  Damien,  both  physicians,  martyrs  and 
saints  in  the  Roman  Catholic  Church.  He  is  com- 
monly known  as  "Father  Damien"), — 1889. 
"  Well!  God's  zvill  he  done.  He  knows  best.  My 
work  zvith  all  its  faults  and  failures,  is  in  His  hands, 
and  before  Easter  I  shall  see  my  Saviour." 

There  has  been  much  discussion  with  regard  to  the 
character  and  work  of  Damien.  The  Rev.  C.  M. 
Hyde,  D.  D.,  of  Honolulu,  a  missionary  of  high  re- 
pute, and  who  had  personal  knowledge  of  the  leper- 

289 


Xast  Mor^5  of 

priest,  wrote  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  H.  B.  Gage,  which 
was  pubHshed  in  "  The  Sydney  Presbyterian "  of 
October  26,  1889.     In  that  letter  he  said: 

"  The  simple  truth  is,  he  (Father  Damien)  was  a 
coarse,  dirty  man,  headstrong  and  bigoted.  He  was 
not  sent  to  Molokai,  but  went  there  without  orders; 
did  not  stay  at  the  leper  settlement  (before  he  be- 
came himself  a  leper),  but  circulated  freely  over  the 
whole  island  (less  than  half  the  island  is  devoted  to 
the  lepers),  and  he  came  often  to  Honolulu.  He  had 
no  hand  in  the  reforms  and  improvements  inaugu- 
rated, which  were  the  work  of  our  Board  of  Health, 
as  occasion  required  and  means  were  provided.  He 
was  not  a  pure  man  in  his  relations  with  women,  and 
the  leprosy  of  which  he  died  should  be  attributed  to 
his  vices  and  carelessness.  Others  have  done  much 
for  the  lepers,  our  own  ministers,  the  government 
physicians,  and  so  forth,  but  never  with  the  Catholic 
idea  of  meriting  eternal  life." 

To  the  statements  of  Dr.  Hyde,  Robert  Louis 
Stevenson  replied  in  most  violent  language,  of  which 
the  following  is  a  sample: 

"  You  remember  that  you  have  done  me  several 
courtesies  for  which  I  was  prepared  to  be  grateful. 
But  there  are  duties  which  come  before  gratitude, 
and  offences  which  justly  divide  friends,  far  more 
acquaintances.  Your  letter  to  the  Rev.  H.  B.  Gage 
is  a  document  which,  in  my  sight,  if  you  had  filled  me 
with  bread  when  I  was  starving,  if  you  had  set  up 

290 


2)istinoui5bet)  /IDen  an^  Momen 

to  nurse  my  father  when  he  lay  a-dying,  would  yet 
absolve  me  from  the  bonds  of  gratitude." 

After  this  and  more  vituperation  follows  an  analy- 
sis of  Dr.  Hyde's  letter,  and  an  elaborate  defense  of 
Father  Damien„  Men  will  differ  in  their  opinions  of 
the  leper-priest,  and,  no  doubt,  much  may  be  said 
on  both  sides  of  the  case ;  but  to  the  compiler  of  this 
work,  who,  in  his  own  home,  heard  the  story  in  all 
its  details  from  the  lips  of  Dr.  Hyde,  the  beatification 
of  Damien  is,  to  say  the  least,  a  grotesque  absurdity. 

Victoria  (Alexandrina  Victoria,  Queen  of  Eng- 
land and  Ireland  and  Empress  of  India),  1819-1901. 
It  is  said,  though  upon  what  authority  the  compiler 
is  unable  to  discover,  that  the  last  words  of  Queen 
Victoria  were,  "  Oh,  that  peace  may  come."  It  is 
understood  that  the  Queen  was  opposed  to  the  war 
in  South  Africa,  and  her  last  words  would  seem 
to  indicate  that  her  thoughts,  even  in  the  hour  of 
death,  were  busy  with  the  unhappy  conflict, 

ViDOCQ  (Eugene  Frangois,  famous  French  detect- 
ive), 1775-1857.  "How  great  is  the  forgiveness 
for  such  a  life!  " 

He  was  successively  a  thief,  soldier,  deserter,  and 
gambler  before  he  entered  the  public  service,  and  was 
often  imprisoned  for  his  offences.  About  181  o  he 
enlisted  in  the  police  at  Paris.  His  success  as  a  de- 
tective has  scarcely  been  paralleled  in  history. 

Lippincott:  "  Biographical  History." 
291 


Xast  Mor&s  of 

He  retired  to  Paris  and  there  lived  quietly  in  lodg- 
ings until  1857,  when,  at  the  great  age  of  eighty- 
two,  he  was  struck  down  with  paralysis.  On  finding 
his  end  near,  he  sent  for  a  confessor,  and — so  whim- 
sical a  thing  is  human  nature — he  greatly  edified  the 
holy  man  by  dying  like  a  saint.  One  trifling  pec- 
cadillo he  perhaps  forgot  to  mention.  The  breath 
had  scarcely  left  his  body,  when  ten  lovely  damsels, 
each  provided  with  a  copy  of  his  will,  which  left  her 
all  his  property  arrived.  Alas  for  all  the  ten! 
Vidocq  had  always  loved  the  smiles  of  beauty,  and 
had  obtained  them  by  a  gift  which  cost  him  nothing. 
He  had  left  his  whole  possessions  to  his  landlady. 
Smith:  "  Romance  of  History." 

ViLLARS  DE  (Claude  Louis  Hector,  famous  French 
general),  1653- 1734.  "I  ahvays  deemed  him  more 
fortunate  than  myself."  Said  to  his  confessor,  who 
told  him  that  the  Duke  of  Berwick  had  perished  by 
a  cannon  ball. 

ViLLiERS  (George,  First  Duke  of  Buckingham. 
He  was  assassinated  by  John  Felton  in  1628),  1592- 
1628.     "  God's  zvounds!  the  villain  hath  killed  me." 

John  Felton,  gentleman,  having  watched  his  op- 
portunity, thrust  a  long  knife,  with  a  white  heft,  he 
had  secretly  about  him,  with  great  strength  and  vio- 
lence, into  his  breast,  under  his  left  pap,  cutting  the 
diaphragma  and  lungs,  and  piercing  the  very  heart 
itself.     The  Duke  having  received  the  stroke,  and 

292 


IDistinguisbeD  /IDen  an&  Tliaomen 

instantly  clapping  his  right  hand  on  his  sword-hilt, 
cried  out,  "God's  wounds!  the  villain  hath  killed 
me." — Book  of  Death. 

Virgil  (Publius  Virgilius  Marc,  most  illustrious 
of  Latin  poets),  b.c.  70-19. 

Upon  a  visit  to  Megara,  a  town  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Athens,  he  was  seized  with  a  languor,  which 
increased  during  the  ensuing  voyage ;  and  he  expired 
a  few  days  after  landing  at  Brundisium,  on  the  22d 
of  September  in  the  fifty-second  year  of  his  age.  He 
desired  that  his  body  might  be  carried  to  Naples, 
where  he  had  passed  many  happy  years ;  and  that  the 
following  distich,  written  in  his  last  sickness,  should 
be  inscribed  upon  his  tomb : 

Mantua  me  genuit :     Calabri  rapuere,  tenet  nunc 
Parthenope,  Cecerie  pascua,  rura,  duces. 

ViTELLius  (Aulus,  Emperor  of  Rome),  15-69. 
"  Yet  I  was  once  your  emperor/'  to  the  soldiers  of 
Vespasian  who  were  putting  him  to  death  by  a  lin- 
gering torture  whilst  they  were  dragging  him  by  a 
horse  into  the  Tiber. 

Voltaire  (a  name  capriciously  assumed  by  Fran- 
cois Marie  Arouet,  and  made  by  him  more  celebrated 
than  any  other  of  which  we  read  in  the  literary  his- 
tory of  the  eighteenth  century),  1694-1778.  "  Adieu 
my  dear  Maraud;  I  am  dying,"  said  to  his  valet. 

According  to  a  document  discovered  by  Mr. 
Schuyler,  American  Consul  at  Moscow,  bearing  on 

293 


Xast  Tlmor^s  of 

the  death  of  Voltaire,  and  which  was  forwarded  to 
M.  Taine,  and  pubHshed  in  the  Journal  des  Dchats, 
the  last  words  of  Voltaire  were,  "  Take  care  of 
Maria,"  meaning  his  niece,  Madame  Denys.  These 
words  were  addressed  to  one  of  his  servants. 

It  has  also  been  said  that  his  last  words  were : 
"  For  the  love  of  God,  don't  mention  that  Man — 
allow  me  to  die  in  peace !  "  to  one  who  called  his 
attention  to  our  Saviour. 

There  are  several  widely  divergent  accounts  of  the 
last  hours  of  Voltaire,  and  perhaps  it  is  not  possible 
to  know  just  what  measure  of  truth  is  to  be  found 
in  any  one  of  them.  It  is  said  that  on  his  death-bed 
he  cursed  D'Alembert  and  denounced  his  infidel 
associates;  that  he  made  in  the  presence  of  Abbe 
Gaultier,  the  Abbe  Mignot,  and  the  Marquis  de  Vil- 
leveille  a  declaration  of  his  wish  to  be  reconciled  to 
"  the  church ;  "  that  he  spent  much  time  in  alter- 
nately praying  and  blaspheming.  These  facts,  if 
facts  they  really  are,  rest  upon  the  statements  of 
Mons.  Tronchin,  the  Protestant  physician  from 
Geneva,  who  attended  him  almost  to  the  last,  and 
who  was  so  horrified  at  what  he  witnessed  that  he 
said,  "  Pour  voir  toutes  les  furies  d'Oreste,  il  n'y 
avait  qu'a  se  trouvcr  a  la  mort  de  Voltaire."  The 
Marechal  de  Richelieu,  also,  was  terrified  at  what 
he  saw  and  heard,  and  left  the  bed-side  of  Voltaire 
declaring  that  his  nerves  were  not  strong  enough 
to  endure  the  strain.  Tronchin's  statements  are  de- 
nied by  Vilette  and  Monke,  who  represent  the  last 

294 


DistincjuisbeJ)  /IDen  an&  Momen 

hours  of  the  great  Frenchman  as  calm  and  peaceful. 
The  exact  truth  will,  it  is  most  likely,  never  be 
known  beyond  all  question,  and  yet,  to  the  compiler 
of  this  book,  the  weight  of  evidence  seems  to  be 
with  Tronchin  rather  than  with  those  who  have  im- 
peached his  testimony. 

Wagner  (Richard  Wilhelm,  German  composer, 
among  whose  works  are  "  Rheingold,"  "  Valkyria," 
"Siegfried"  and  "The  Twilight  of  the  Gods"), 
i8 1 3- 1 883.     "Mir  ist  schr  schlecht." 

At  three  o'clock  he  went  to  dinner  with  the  fam- 
ily, but  just  as  they  were  assembled  at  table  and  the 
soup  was  being  served  he  suddenly  sprang  up,  cried 
out,  "  Mir  ist  sehr  schlecht  (I  feel  very  bad),"  and 
fell  back  dead  from  an  attack  of  heart  disease. 

Waller  (Edmund,  English  poet),  1605- 1687. 
He  died  repeating  lines  from  Virgil. 

Warham  (William,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury), 
1450- 1 532.  "  That  is  enough  to  last  till  I  get  to 
Heaven."  Said  to  his  servant  who  told  him  he  had 
still  left  thirty  pounds. 

Warner  (Charles  Dudley,  author  and  lecturer), 
1829- 1 900.  "/  am  not  well,  and  should  like  to  lie 
doivn — will  you  call  me  in  ten  minutes?  Thank 
you.  You  are  very  kind — in  ten  minutes — remem- 
ber! " 

Among  Mr,  Warner's  acquaintances  was  a  col- 
ored man,  to  whom  he  gave  books  to  encourage  his 

295 


Xast  mor&0  ot 

desire  to  read,  particularly  books  connected  with  the 
history  of  the  colored  race,  upon  which  Mr.  Warner 
was  an  authority. 

Mr.  Warner  probably  intended  to  call  on  this  man, 
as  he  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  his  house  when  he 
was  stricken.  Feeling  ill,  he  asked  permission  at  a 
house  to  sit  down,  then  to  lie  down,  requesting  to 
be  called  in  ten  minutes.  When  the  woman  of  the 
house  went  to  call  him  he  was  dead. 

Washington  (George,  "the  Father  of  His 
Country,"  ^  and  the  first  President  of  the  United 
States),  1 732- 1 799.  "It  is  ivell."  Some  say  his 
last  words  were,  "  I  am  about  to  die,  and  I  am  not 
afraid  to  die." 

Washington  said  to  Mr.  Lear,  his  secretary,  "  I 
am  just  going;  have  me  decently  buried,  and  do  not 
let  my  body  be  put  into  the  vault  until  three  days 
after  I  am  dead — do  you  understand  me?  "  On  his 
secretary's  replying  that  he  did,  the  dying  man 
added,  "  It  is  well."  About  an  hour  later  he  quietly 
withdrew  his  hand  from  Mr.  Lear's,  and  felt  his 
own  pulse,  and  immediately  expired  without  a  strug- 
gle. 

^ "  And  Meonothai  begat  Ophrah :  and  Seraiah  begat  Joab, 
the  father  of  the  Valley  of  Charashim;  for  they  were  crafts- 
men."— I  Chronicles  iv:  14;  Julius  Caesar  was  called  the 
Father  of  his  country;  Cosmo  de  Medici  is  so  described  on 
his  tombstone;  Andrea  Doria  has  upon  his  statue  at  Genoa, 
Pater  Patrice;  and  Louis  XVIII.  of  France  was  commonly 
called  the  Father  of  the  Country. 

296 


Distinouisbet)  /IDen  auD  Moinen 

A  coffin  of  mahogany,  lined  with  lead  and  cov- 
ered within  and  without  with  black  velvet,  was  made 
on  the  following  day  at  Alexandria.  On  a  plate  at 
the  head  of  the  coffin  was  inscribed  '"  Surge  ad  Judi- 
cium; "  on  another,  in  the  middle,  "  Gloria  Deo" 
while  on  a  small  silver  plate  in  the  form  of  an 
American  shield  appeared  the  inscription : 

GEORGE  WASHINGTON. 
Born  Feb.  22,  1732. 
Died  Dec.    14,    1799. 

His  body  was  first  placed  in  the  family  vault  on 
the  Mount  Vernon  estate.  In  his  will,  Washington 
left  directions  and  plans  for  a  new  vault,  which  was 
built  afterward,  and  to  which  his  remains  were 
transferred  in  1832.  The  front  of  his  tomb  has  an 
ante-chamber,  built  of  red  brick,  about  twelve  feet 
in  height,  with  a  large  iron  gateway.  It  was  erected 
for  the  accommodation  of  two  marble  coffins,  or 
sarcophagi,  one  for  Washington,  the  other  for  Mrs. 
Washington ;  they  stand  in  full  view  of  the  visitor. 
Over  the  gateway,  upon  a  marble  slab,  are  the  words : 

"  Within  this  enclosure  rest  the  remains  of  General  Georgb 
Washington." 

Over  the  vault  door  inside,  are  the  w^ords : 

"  He  that  Believeth  in  Me,  Though  he  were  Dead,  yet 
Shall  he  Live  Again." 

Napoleon,  who  was  then  First  Consul  of  the 
French,   issued  the  following  order  under  date  of 

297 


Xast  TRIlort>0  of 

February  i8,  1800 :  "  Washington  is  no  more!  That 
great  man  fought  against  tyranny.  He  firmly  es- 
tabHshed  the  hberty  of  his  country.  His  memory  will 
be  ever  dear  to  the  French  people,  as  it  must  be  to 
every  friend  of  freedom  in  the  two  worlds,  and  es- 
pecially to  the  French  soldiers,  who,  like  him  and 
the  Americans,  bravely  fight  for  liberty  and  equality. 
The  First  Consul  in  consequence  orders  that,  for  ten 
days,  black  crepes  shall  be  suspended  to  all  the  stand- 
ards and  flags  of  the  Republic." 

Watts  (Isaac,  English  divine  and  sacred  poet. 
He  is  the  author  of  many  beautiful  and  popular 
hymns),  1674- 1748.  ''It  is  a  great  mercy  to  me 
that  I  have  no  manner  of  fear  or  dread  of  death.  I 
could,  if  God  please,  lay  my  head  hack  and  die  zvith- 
out  terror  this  afternoon." 

Webster  (Daniel),  1782- 1852.  "/  still  live!" 
This  was  his  last  coherent  utterance.  Later  he  mut- 
tered something  about  poetry,  and  his  son  repeated 
to  him  one  of  the  stanzas  of  "  Gray's  Elegy."  He 
heard  it  and  smiled.^ 

He  inquired  whether  it  were  likely  that  he  should 


*  The  United  States  has  produced  no  greater  orator  than 
Daniel  Webster ;  nevertheless,  in  the  minds  of  many,  he  fell 
from  his  most  exalted  station  as  the  interpreter  of  the  public 
conscience,  when  he  delivered,  March  7,  1850,  his  famous 
speech,  assenting  to  the  Fugitive  Slave  Law.  It  was  this 
speech  that  called  forth  Whittier's  poem  "  Ichabod,"  which 
has  been  often  compared  with  Bro.wning's  "  Lost  Leader." 

298 


5)i6tinguisbet)  /IDen  an&  TKIlomcn 

again  eject  blood  from  his  stomach  before  death, 
and  being  told  that  it  was  improbable,  he  asked, 
"  Then  what  shall  you  do?  "  Being  answered  that 
he  would  be  supported  by  stimulants,  and  rendered 
as  easy  as  possible  by  the  opiates  that  had  suited  him 
so  well,  he  inquired,  at  once,  if  the  stimulant  should 
not  be  given  immediately;  anxious  again  to  know 
if  the  hand  of  death  were  not  already  upon  him. 
And  on  being  told  that  it  would  not  be  then  given, 
he  replied,  "  When  you  give  it  to  me,  I  shall  know 
that  I  may  drop  off  at  once." 

Being  satisfied  on  this  point,  and  that  he  should, 
therefore,  have  a  final  warning,  he  said  a  moment 
afterwards,  "  I  will,  then,  put  myself  in  a  position 
to  obtain  a  little  repose."  In  this  he  was  successful. 
He  had  intervals  of  rest  to  the  last;  but  on  rousing 
from  them  he  showed  that  he  was  still  intensely 
anxious  to  preserve  his  consciousness,  and  to  watch 
for  the  moment  and  act  of  his  departure,  so  as  to 
comprehend  it.  Awaking  from  one  of  these  slum- 
bers, late  in  the  night,  he  asked  distinctly  if  he  were 
alive,  and  on  being  assured  that  he  was,  and  that  his 
family  was  collected  around  his  bed,  he  said  in  a 
perfectly  natural  tone,  as  if  assenting  to  what  had 
been  told  him,  because  he  himself  perceived  that  it 
was  true,  "  I  still  live."  These  were  his  last  co- 
herent and  intelligible  words.  At  twenty-three  min- 
utes before  three  o'clock,  without  a  struggle  or  a 
moan,  all  signs  of  life  ceased  to  be  visible. 

— Louis  Gaylord  Clark. 
299 


Xast  Mort)6  ot 

Webster  (Thomas,  Professor  of  Geology  in  the 
London  University,  and  author  of  "  Encyclopaedia 
of  Domestic  Economy"),  1773-1844.  '' Examine 
it  for  yourself." 

Webster  (William,  English  clergyman  and  au- 
thor of  "  The  Life  of  General  Monk  "),  1689-1758. 
"Peace/' 

Weed  (Thurlow,  American  journalist  and  poli- 
tician. He  wrote  "  Letters  from  Europe  and  the 
West  Indies,"  and  for  many  years  edited  with 
marked  ability,  "The  Albany  Evening  Journal"), 
1 797- 1 882.     '"  /  ivant  to  go  home" 

During  his  last  hours  his  mind  wandered,  and  he 
thought  himself  in  conversation  with  President  Lin- 
coln and  General  Scott  with  regard  to  the  Southern 
Confederacy. 

Wesley  (Charles,  English  hymn-writer  whose 
sacred  songs  are  sung,  in  original  or  translation,  all 
over  the  Christian  world.  He  is  the  author  of  "  Love 
divine,  all  love  excelling,"  "  Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul," 
and  "  Christ,  the  Lord,  is  risen  to-day  "),  1708- 1788. 
"  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  Thy  likeness — satisfied! " 

Wesley  (John,  founder  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church),  1 703- 1 79 1.  "  The  best  of  all  is  God 
is  zvith  US." 

His  body  lay  in  a  kind  of  state  in  his  chapel  at 
London  the  day  previous  to  his  interment,  dressed  in 

300 


Bisttnouf5be^  /IDen  an&  Momcn 

his  clerical  habit,  with  gown,  cassock,  and  band,  the 
old  clerical  cap  on  his  head,  a  Bible  in  one  hand,  and 
a  white  handkerchief  in  the  other.  The  funeral  serv- 
ice was  read  by  one  of  his  old  preachers.  When 
he  came  to  the  part  of  the  service,  "  Forasmuch  as 
it  hath  pleased  God  to  take  unto  himself  the  soul  of 
our  dear  brother,"  his  voice  changed,  and  he  substi- 
tuted the  word  "  father ;  "  and  the  feeling  with  which 
he  did  this  was  such,  that  the  congregation,  who 
were  shedding  silent  tears,  burst  at  once  into  loud 
weeping. — "Southey's  Life  of  Wesley." 

Wesley     (Sarah,     wife    of    Charles    Wesley). 
"  Open  the  gates!     Open  the  gates!  " 

Whitaker  (William,  English  theologian,  pro- 
fessor of  Divinity  at  Cambridge,  and  translator  of 
the  "  Liturgy  of  the  Church  "  and  "  Nowell's  Cate- 
chism "  into  Greek),  1547-1595.  "Life  or  death 
is  welcome  to  me;  and  I  desire  not  to  live,  hut  so  far 
as  I  may  he  serviceable  to  God  and  His  church." 

White  (Joseph  Blanco.  In  Spain,  where  he  was 
born,  he  was  called  Blanco,  which  he  exchanged  for 
its  English  equivalent.  He  wrote  many  interesting 
and  useful  books,  but  will  be  remembered  longest 
for  his  exquisite  sonnet,  entitled  "Night"),  1775- 
184 1.     "Now  I  die." 

He  remained  some  days  longer,  chiefly  in  the  state 
of  one  falling  asleep,  until  the  morning  of  the  20th, 
when  he  awoke,  and  with  a  firm  voice  and  great 

301 


Xast  MorC)3  ot 

solemnity  of  manner,  spoke  only  these  words :  "  Now 
I  die."  He  sat  as  one  in  the  attitude  of  expectation, 
and  about  two  hours  afterward — it  was  as  he  had 
said. 

There  was  no  apparent  pain  or  struggle,  and  it  was 
an  inexpressible  relief  to  behold,  shortly  after,  the 
singular  beauty  and  repose  of  features  lately  so  wan 
and  suffering;  but  there  took  place  in  the  act  of  ex- 
piring, what  we  had  observed  in  other  cases  after 
long  exhaustion,  but  had  never  seen  described.  A 
sudden  darkness  beneath  the  surface,  like  the  cloud- 
ing of  a  pure  liquid  from  within ;  the  immediate 
shadow  of  Death  was  passing  from  the  forehead 
downwards,  and  leaving  all  clear  again  behind  it  as  it 
moved  along. 

Thorn's  "  Life  of  Joseph  Blanco  White." 

Compare  the  death-bed  of  the  Deist,  Joseph  Blanco 
White,  with  that  of  poor  Keats,  and  I  think  it  must 
be  admitted  that  both  in  faith  and  fortitude  the 
former  has  immeasurably  the  advantage.  It  ought, 
however,  to  be  recollected  that  Blanco  White  was 
older,  and  had  had  more  time  to  gain  strength  of 
mind.  But  he  was  also  of  a  more  religious  turn 
from  the  first. 

Memoirs  and  Letters  of  Sara  Coleridge. 

Whitefield  (George,  founder  of  the  Calvinistic 
Methodist  Church,  and  chaplain  to  the  Countess  of 
Huntingdon),  1 714-1770.  '' /  am  dying."  He 
was    standing   by    the    open    window   gasping    for 

302 


2)lstinoufsbe&  /Iften  an^  Momen 

breath,  as  he  uttered  these  words.  A  friend  per- 
suaded him  to  sit  down  in  a  chair,  and  have  a  cloak 
thrown  over  him,  and  thus  seated  he  quietly  passed 
away. 

"  David  Hume  pronounced  Whitefield  the  most 
ingenious  preacher  he  had  ever  heard,  and  said  it 
was  worth  while  to  go  twenty  miles  to  hear  him. 
But  perhaps  the  greatest  proof  of  his  persuasive 
powers  was  when  he  drew  from  Benjamin  Frank- 
lin's pocket  the  money  which  that  clear,  cool  reasoner 
had  determined  not  to  give." — Robert  Southey. 

Whitman  (Walt,  American  poet  and  army 
nurse),  i8 19-1892.  "  0,  he's  a  dear,  good  fellow," 
said  of  Thomas  Donaldson,  one  of  his  most  enthu- 
siastic friends,  and  later  his  biographer. 

There  was  a  most  pathetic  incident  connected  with 
Mr.  Whitman's  death.  It  was  related  to  me  by 
"  Warry  "  Fritzinger,  his  nurse.  Warry  had  ar- 
ranged a  rope  above  Mr.  Whitman's  head,  in  the  bed, 
which  was  attached  to  a  bell  below.  He  would  pull 
this  rope  after  he  became  weak,  and  thus  ring  the 
bell  to  attract  attention.  Prior  to  this  time  he  had 
used  his  heavy  cane  to  pound  the  floor  with.  This 
brought  assistance  at  once.  Just  before  he  died,  as 
the  great  change  came  over  him — he  was  conscious 
that  it  was  a  great  change,  a  something  unusual 
(Mrs.  Davis  and  Warry  were  by  his  side) — he 
seemed  as  if  groping  for  something.  Death  had 
called  for  him,  and  as  the  call  came,  he  attempted  to 

303 


Xast  imov^s  of 

reach  above  his  head  with  one  of  his  hands  and  feel 
for  the  rope,  as  if  to  call  for  help.  In  an  instant  the 
arm  dropped,  and  soon  he  was  dead. 

Donaldson:  "  Walt  Whitman  the  Man." 

Whitman  has,  amid  the  fleshly  and  physical  poems, 
much  that  is  deeply  spiritual ;  amid  the  tuneless  and 
formless,  much  noble  thought  fitly  voiced.  The 
higher  mood  and  the  higher  work  may  be  seen  in  "  O 
Captain  !  my  Captain !  "  "  Reconciliation,"  "  Vigil 
on  the  Fields,"  "  The  City  Dead-House,"  "  Song  of 
the  Broad  Axe,"  "  Proud  Music  of  the  Storm," 
"  The  Mystic  Trumpeter,"  "  Seashore  Memories," 
and  the  death-carols  of  the  "  Passage  to  India." 

Welsh:"  Digest  of  English  and  American  Litera- 
ture" 

Whittier  (John  Greenleaf,  distinguishd  Ameri- 
can poet),  1 807- 1 892.  "I  have  known  thee  all  the 
time,"  to  his  niece  in  response  to  her  question,  "  Do 
you  know  me  ?  " 

Others  say  his  last  words  were,  "  Give  my  love  to 
the  world." 

Upon  the  silver  cofifin-plate  was  the  inscription: 
"  John  Greenleaf  Whittier,  December  17,  1807,  Sep- 
tember 7,  1892."  The  face  of  the  dead  man  wore  an 
expression  of  peace  and  perfect  repose.  All  around 
his  head  and  body  was  a  delicate  fringe  of  maiden- 
hair fern.  Directly  over  his  breast  was  a  superb 
wreath  of  white  roses,  carnations  and  maidenhair 
ferns  from  that  other  loved  poet  and  dear  friend,  for 

S04 


2)i5tinoutsbe^  /IDen  an&  Women 

whom  Whittier  wrote  his  last  poem,  Dr.  Oliver  Wen- 
dell Holmes.  Upon  the  lid  was  a  cluster  of  white 
carnations  from  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Stuart  Phelps  Ward, 
and  at  the  foot  were  two  crossed  palms  with  white 
lilies.  At  the  last  were  roses  and  maidenhair  ferns. 
A  broad  white  satin  ribbon  encircled  the  palms  and 
sprays,  and  upon  the  ends,  delicately  painted,  were 
the  inscriptions :  "  In  memory  of  John  Greenleaf 
Whittier,  September  7,  1892,"  and  this  verse: 

"  Some  sweet  morning,  yet  in  God's 
Dim  aeonian  periods. 
Joyful  I  shall  wake  to  see 
Those  I  love,  who  rest  in  Thee, 
And  to  them,  in  Thee  allied, 
Shall  my  soul  be  satisfied." 

Upon  the  card  were  these  words :  "  In  memoriam 
of  my  husband's  dear  friend.  This  verse  of  Andrew 
Rykman's  prayer  was  used  for  consolation  by  him 
who  wrote  it  in  the  hour  of  death.  Mrs.  Daniel 
Lathrop." 

N.  Y.  Tribune,  September  12,  1892. 

WiELAND  (Christoph  Martin,  celebrated  German 
poet,  first  translator  of  Shakspeare's  works  into  the 
German  language,  founder  and  editor  of  the 
"  Deutscher  Mercur."  His  most  celebrated  poem 
is  "  Oberon  "),  1733-1813.     "To  sleep — to  die." 

WiLBERFORCE  (William,  British  statesman  and 
philanthropist),  1759-1833.  "Heaven!"  Some 
say  his  last  words  were :    "  I  now  feel  so  weaned 

305 


Xast  morbs  of 

from  earth,  my  affections  so  much  in  heaven,  that  I 
can  leave  you  all  without  regret;  yet  I  do  not  love 
you  less,  but  God  more." 

Wild  (Jonathan,  noted  highwayman,  the  hero  of 
many  a  chap-book  of  his  day,  and  the  hero  and  title 
of  a  novel  by  Fielding),  1682-1725.  "Lord  Jesus 
receive  my  soul!  "  Unfortunately  there  is  some 
doubt  as  to  the  genuineness  of  these  pious  words, 
for  they  come  to  us  through  the  chaplain  of  the 
prison,  Rev.  Thomas  Pureney,  a  man  of  whom  we 
have  this  description  in  Charles  Whibley's  "  Book  of 
Scoundrels :  " 

"  Pureney  yielded  without  persuasion  to  the  pleas- 
ures denied  his  cloth.  There  was  ever  a  fire  to  extin- 
guish at  his  throat,  nor  could  he  veil  his  wanton  eye 
at  the  sight  of  a  pretty  wench.  Again  and  again  the 
lust  of  preaching  urged  him  to  repent,  yet  he  slid 
back  upon  his  past  gaiety,  until  '  Parson  Pureney  ' 
became  a  by-word.  Dismissed  from  Newmarket  in 
disgrace,  he  wandered  the  country  up  and  down  in 
search  of  a  pulpit,  but  so  infamous  became  the  habit 
of  his  life  that  only  in  prison  could  he  find  an  audi- 
ence fit  and  responsive." 

WiLLARD  (Frances  Elizabeth,  American  reformer 
and  temperance  advocate),  1839 — .  "How  beauti- 
ful to  be  zvith  God." 

Shortly  before  Frances  Willard's  death  she  took 
notice  of  Hoffman's  picture  of  Christ  on  the  wall, 
which  had  been  given  to  her  by  Lady  Henry  Somer- 

306 


2>isttnouisbe&  ^en  nnt>  momen 

set,  and  directed  that  it  be  taken  back  to  Lady  Henry 
with  this  inscription  :  "  Only  the  golden  rule  of  Christ 
can  bring  the  golden  age  of  man."  Her  last  words 
were  "  How  beautiful  to  be  with  God." 

Rev.  C.  C.  Carpenter. 

William  I.  (of  England,  surnamed  "  The  Con- 
queror"), 1025-1087.  "/  commend  myself  to  the 
blessed  Lady  Mary,  hoping  by  her  intercessions  to 
be  reconciled  to  her  most  dear  Son,  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ/' 

William  HI.  (of  England),  1650-1702.  "Can 
this  last  long?  "  to  his  physician. 

WiLMOT  (John,  Earl  of  Rochester,  witty  and  prof- 
ligate courtier  and  author,  and  a  great  favorite  with 
Charles  H.  Notwithstanding  his  evil  life,  he  was  a 
brave  soldier  and  had  many  attractive  qualities), 
1 647- 1 680.  "  The  only  objection  against  the  Bible 
is  a  bad  life." 

Wilson  (Alexander,  distinguished  ornithologist), 
1766-1813.  His  last  words  are  not  recorded,  but 
just  before  his  death  he  asked  to  be  buried  where  the 
birds  might  sing  over  his  grave. ^ 

'  Walter  von  der  Vogelweid  requested  that  he  might  repose 
where  a  leafy  tree  should  cast  its  shadow,  and  the  light  of  the 
summer  day  should  linger  long;  and  that  the  birds  might  be 
fed  every  day  from  the  stone  over  his  grave.  See  Longfellow's 
beautiful  poem,  "  Walter  von  der  Vogelweid." 


Xast  mott>B  of 

WiNKELRiED  (Arnold  von,  Swiss  patriot  who 
broke  the  Austrian  phalanx  at  the  battle  of  Sem- 
pach  in  1385,  by  rushing  against  the  points  of  their 
spears,  and  gathering  within  his  arms  as  many  as  he 
could.  He  fell  pierced  with  many  wounds,  but  the 
Swiss  were  victorious).  "Friends,  I  am  going  to 
lay  dozvn  my  life  to  procure  you  victory.  All  I 
request  is  that  you  provide  for  my  family.  Folloiv 
me  and  imitate  my  example." 

A  column  surmounted  by  a  lion,  erected  on  the 
five  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  victory  marks  the 
spot  where  Arnold  von  Winkelried  fell. 

WisHART  (George),  1502-1546.  "For  the  sake 
of  the  true  gospel,  given  one  by  the  grace  of  God,  I 
suffer  this  day  with  a  glad  heart.  Behold  and  con- 
sider my  visage.  Ye  shall  not  see  me  change  color. 
I  fear  not  this  Hre."  He  was  burned  at  the  stake 
for  preaching  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation. 

A  few  moments  before  he  uttered  his  last  words 
the  executioner  said  to  him,  "  Sir,  I  pray  you  to 
forgive  me,  for  I  am  not  guilty  of  your  death,"  to 
which  the  martyr,  having  replied,  "  Come  hither  to 
me,"  and  then  kissed  him  on  the  cheek,  said :  "  Lo, 
here  is  a  token  that  I  forgive  thee." 

Witt  (Cornelius  de).  "This  man,  who  had 
bravely  served  his  country  in  war,  and  who  had  been 
invested  with  the  highest  dignities,  was  delivered 
into  the  hands  of  the  executioner,  and  torn  in  pieces 
by  the  most  inhuman  torments.     Amidst  the  severe 

308 


Distlnoutsbe^  /IDen  an&  Momen 

agonies  which  he  endured  he  frequently  repeated  an 
ode  of  Horace/  which  contained  sentiments  suited 
to  his  deplorable  condition." — Hume. 

WoLCOTT,  or  WoLCOT  (John,  "  Peter  Pindar," 
witty  and  scurrilous  satiric  poet.  "  The  most  un- 
sparing calumniator  of  his  age." — Sir  Walter  Scott), 
1738- 1 819.  "Give  me  back  my  youth/'  to  Taylor 
who  had  asked  him  "  Is  there  anything  I  can  do  for 
you?" 

Wolcott  is  well  described  by  Gifford  in  these  lines : 

Come,  then,  all  filth,  all  venom,  as  thou  art, 
Rage  in  thy  eye,  and  rancour  in  thy  heart ; 
Come  with  thy  boasted  arms,  spite,  malice,  lies, 
Smut,  scandal,  execrations,  blasphemies. 

Wolfe  (Charles,  Irish  clergyman  and  poet,  author 
of  "  Burial  of  Sir  John  Moore,"  w^iich  is  regarded 
as  one  of  the  most  finished  poems  of  its  kind  in  the 
English  language) ,  1 79 1 - 1 823.  "  Close  this  eye,  the 
other  is  closed  already;  and  now  farewell! " 

On  going  to  bed  he  felt  very  drowsy;  and  soon 
after  the  stupor  of  death  began  to  creep  over  him. 
He  began  to  pray  for  all  his  dearest  friends  indi- 
vidually ;  but  his  voice  faltering,  he  could  only  say — 
"  God  bless  them  all !  The  peace  of  God  and  of 
Jesus  Christ  overshadow  them,  dwell  in  them,  reign 
in  them ! "  "  My  peace,"  said  he,  addressing  his 
sister  (the  peace  I  now  feel),  "Be  with  you!" — 
"  Thou,  O  God,  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace  whose 
'  Horace  lib.  iii,  Ode  3. 


Xast  "mov^s  ot 

mind  is  stayed  on  Thee."  His  speech  again  began  to 
fail,  and  he  fell  into  a  slumber;  but  whenever  his 
senses  were  recalled  he  returned  to  prayer.  He  re- 
peated part  of  the  Lord's  prayer,  but  was  unable  to 
proceed;  and  at  last,  with  a  composure  scarcely 
credible  at  such  a  moment,  he  whispered  to  the  dear 
relative  who  hung  over  his  death-bed,  "  Close  this 
eye,  the  other  is  closed  already;  and  now  farewell!  " 
Then,  having  again  uttered  part  of  the  Lord's  prayer, 
he  fell  asleep. 

Rev.  John  A.  Russell:  "  Remains  of  Rev.  Charles 
Wolfe." 

Wolfe  (James,  a  celebrated  English  officer,  killed 
in  the  battle  of  Quebec ) ,  1 726- 1 759.  "'  /  die  happy." 
On  being  told  of  the  defeat  of  the  French. 

Some  give  his  last  words  thus :  "  Support  me, 
let  not  my  brave  soldiers  see  me  drop;  the  day  is 
ours !  Oh !  keep  it !  "  Said  to  those  who  were  near 
him  when  he  received  his  wound.  He  feared  the 
effect  of  his  death  upon  his  troops. 

WoLLSTONECRAFT  (Mary,  afterwards  Mrs.  God- 
win, English  authoress) ,  1759- 1797.  ''  I  knozv  zvhat 
you  are  thinking  of,  but  I  have  nothing  to  communi- 
cate on  the  subject  of  religion,"  to  her  husband  who 
was  endeavoring  to  tell  her  death  was  near  and  to 
sound  her  mind  in  the  matter  of  a  spiritual  world. 

WoLSEY  (Thomas,  known  in  history  as  Cardinal 
Wolsey),  147 1- 1 530.    "  Master  Kingston,  farewell! 


ZDistingutsbe^  /IDeu  ant)  Momen 

My  time  drawcth  on  fast.  Forget  not  zuhat  I  Imve 
said  and  charged  you  zvithal;  for  when  I  am  dead  ye 
shall,  pcradventitre,  understand  my  words  better." 
D'Auhigne's  "History  of  the  Reformation." 
On  the  morning  of  the  second  day,  as  Cavendish 
was  watching  near  Wolsey,  he  inquired  the  hour, 
and  being  told  eight  o'clock, — "  That  cannot  be,"  he 
replied,  "  for  at  eight  o'clock  you  will  lose  your 
master :  my  time  is  at  hand,  and  I  must  depart  this 
world."  His  confessor,  who  was  standing  near, 
requested  Cavendish  to  enquire  if  he  would  be  con- 
fessed. "What  have  you  to  do  with  that?"  an- 
swered the  Cardinal,  angrily;  but  was  appeased  by 
the  interference  of  the  confessor.  He  continued  to 
grow  weaker  all  that  day :  about  four  o'clock  the 
next  morning,  he  asked  for  some  refreshment,  which 
having  received,  and  made  his  final  confession,  Sir 
William  Kingston  entered  his  room,  and  enquired 
how  he  felt  himself:  "  I  tarry,"  said  the  dying  man, 
"  but  the  pleasure  of  God,  to  render  up  my  poor  soul 
into  His  hands.  I  have  now  been  eight  days  together 
troubled  with  a  continual  flux  and  fever,  a  species 
of  disease  which,  if  it  do  not  remit  its  violence  within 
that  period,  never  fails  to  terminate  in  death."  Then 
follows  his  message  to  the  King,  concluding  with, 
"  Had  I  served  my  God  as  diligently  as  I  have  served 
the  King,  He  would  not  have  given  me  over  in  my 
grey  hairs."  He  then  continued,  for  a  short  time, 
to  give  Sir  William  some  advice,  concluding  with, 
"  Forget  not  what  I  have  said ;  and  when  I  am  gone, 

311 


Xast  MorOs  ot 

call  it  often  to  mind."  Towards  the  conclusion,  his 
accents  began  to  falter;  at  the  end,  his  eyes  became 
motionless,  and  his  sight  failed.  The  abbot  was 
summoned  to  administer  the  extreme  unction,  and 
the  yeomen  of  the  guard  were  called  to  see  him  die. 
As  the  clock  struck  eight  he  expired,  on  the  29th  of 
November,  1530. 

Welhy:  "Predictions  Realized." 

He  was  a  scholar,  and  a  ripe  and  good  one; 

Exceeding  wise,  fair  spoken  and  persuading; 

Lofty  and  sour  to  them  that  loved  him  not. 

But,  to  those  men  that  sought  him,  sweet  as  summer. 

And  though  he  was  unsatisfied  in  getting, 

(Which  was  a  sin),  yet  in  bestowing,  madam, 

He  was  most  princely. — Shakspeare. 

Wood  (Rev.  John  George,  English  naturalist, 
author  of  "  Man  and  Beast  Here  and  Hereafter  "), 
1 827- 1 889.     "  Give  me  a  large  cup  of  tea." 

At  six  o'clock  he  complained  of  thirst  and  asked 
for  a  cup  of  milk.  Still  his  mind  was  perfectly  clear, 
for,  finding  that  he  could  no  longer  raise  his  head 
to  drink,  he  asked  whether  there  happened  to  be 
an  invalid's  cup  in  the  house,  and,  finding  that  there 
was  not,  suggested  that  a  small  milk  jug  would  an- 
swer the  purpose  instead.  This  was  procured,  and 
he  drank  his  milk,  asking  immediately  afterward  for 
a  large  cup  of  tea,  which  he  drank  also.  And  almost 
immediately  afterward  he  turned  his  head  upon  one 
side,  and  quietly  passed  away.^ — Theodore  Wood. 

*  Sir  Charles  Blagden,  the  distinguished   English  physician 
and  chemist   (1748-1820)   died  so  quietly  and  peacefully  that 


2)tstinGuisbe&  /iDen  ant)  Momen 

WooDviLLE  (William,  English  physician  and 
author  of  a  work  on  *' Medical  Botany"),  1752- 
1805.  "  I  shall  not  live  more  than  two  days,  there- 
fore make  haste,"  last  recorded  words  said  to  a  car- 
penter v/ho  had  come  to  measure  him  for  a  coffin. 

WooLSTON  (Thomas,  English  theologian),  1669- 
'^72>?)-  "  This  is  a  struggle  zuhieh  all  men  must  go 
through,  and  which  I  bear  not  only  zvith  patience, 
but  with  willingness." 

WooLTON  (John,  Bishop  of  Exeter),  1535- 1594. 
"  A  Bishop  ought  to  die  on  his  legs."  He  insisted 
upon  standing  up  to  die,  as  did  also  the  Rev.  Patrick 
Bronte, 

Wordsworth  (William,  distinguished  English 
poet),  1 770- 1 850.  "God  bless  you!  Is  that  you. 
Dora?  " 

Mrs.  Wordsworth,  with  a  view  of  letting  him 
know  what  the  opinion  of  his  medical  advisers  was 
concerning  his  case,  said  gently  to  him,  "  William, 
you  are  going  to  Dora!"  More  than  twenty-four 
hours  afterward  one  of  his  nieces  came  into  the  room, 
and  was  drawing  aside  the  curtain  of  his  chamber, 

not  a  drop  of  cofifee  in  the  cup  which  he  held  in  his  hand 
was  spilt.  He  was  sitting  in  his  chair  at  a  social  meal  with 
his  friends,  Monsieur  and  Madame  Berthollet,  and  Gay 
Lussac.  Dr.  Joseph  Black,  also  a  famous  physician,  died 
whilst  eating  his  customary  meal  of  bread  and  milk,  and  so 
quiet  and  peaceful  was  his  departure  that  he  did  not  even 
spill  the  contents  of  a  spoon  which  he  held  in  his  hand. 


Xast  Mort)s  ot 

and  then,  as  if  awakening  from  a  quiet  sleep,  he  said, 
"Is  that  you  Dora?"^ 

Memoirs  of  Wordsworth,  Vol.  ii,  p.  506. 

'  William  Wordsworth  died  April  23rd,  1850,  at  the  age  of 
80,  and  was  buried  in  the  little  centry-garth  of  St.  Oswald's, 
Grasmere,  between,  as  De  Quincey  records,  "  a  yew-tree  of 
his  own  planting,  and  an  aged  thorn."  On  his  tombstone  is 
an  inscription  from  the  pen  of  Keble,  in  which  he  is  styled, 
"  a  chief  minister,  not  only  of  noblest  poesy,  but  of  high  and 
Sacred  truth."  Surely  the  tender  lover  of  Nature,  and  high- 
priest  of  her  mysteries,  could  have  no  fitter  resting-place  than 
this  Westmoreland  churchyard,  where,  as  some  one  has  writ- 
ten, "  the  turf  is  washed  green  by  summer  dew,  and  winter 
rain,  and  in  early  spring  is  beautifully  dappled  with  lichens 
and  golden  moss?"  This  reads  very  prettily,  and  represents 
the  thing  as  it  should  be.  But  what  are  the  facts?  The  liter- 
ary pilgrim  who  may  chance  to  visit  the  spot  will  follow  a 
narrow  muddy  path  among  the  grave  mounds,  till  he  reaches 
a  gloomy  dingy  corner,  with  a  group  of  blue-black  head-stones 
of  funereal  slate.  Everything  round  the  place  is  decayed  and 
blighted ;  no  green  grass  is  there ;  all  is  dull,  dark  and  de- 
pressing. The  poet's  corner  is  ill-drained;  and  there  is  a  tiny 
moat  of  water  round  the  base  of  the  stone  curb,  in  which  is 
fixed  the  iron  railing  that  surrounds  the  grave.  Yet  here  is 
a  remarkable  group  of  memorial  tombs.  Near  to  the  poet  lie 
all  the  beloved  members  of  his  household.  Here  slumbers  his 
favorite  sister,  Dorothy ;  here,  too,  Mrs.  Wordsworth, — Dora 
Wordsworth, — her  husband,  Edward  Quillinan,  the  poet,  and 
translator  of  the  Lusiad, — the  two  infant  children  of  Words- 
worth,— and  behind  these.  Hartley  Coleridge,  that  "  inheritor 
of  unfulfilled  renown,"  whose  bier  the  poet  followed  one 
snowy  day  in  January,  unwitting  that,  before  the  trees  were 
again  clad  with  verdure,  he  would  be  borne  along  the  same 
narrow  path  to  his  own  long  rest.  Surely  something  should 
be  done  to  rescue  the  poet's  monument  from  decay,  and  render 
it  more  in  accordance  with  the  verdant  foliage  and  the  sun- 
bright  hills  around,  of  which  he  sung  so  lovingly  and  so  well. 

William  Bates. 


H)istinGuisbe5  /IDen  ant)  XRHomen 

WoTTON  (Sir  Henry,  English  diplomatist,  author 
of  some  very  beautiful  short  poems  and  of  a  number 
of  books,  chief  among  which  are  "  The  State  of 
Christendom,"  and  "  The  Characters  of  Some  of  the 
English  Kings"),  1568-1639.  "I  nozv  draw  near 
to  the  harbor  of  death — that  harbor  that  ivill  rescue 
me  from  all  the  future  storms  and  waves  of  this 
restless  world.  I  praise  God,  I  am  willing  to  leave 
it,  and  expect  a  better — that  world  wherein  dwelleth 
righteousness,  and  I  long  for  it." 

Wyatt  (Sir  Thomas,  the  younger),  1520- 15 54. 
On  the  scaffold  he  said  to  the  people :  "  Whereas  it 
is  said  abroad  that  I  should  accuse  my  Lady  Eliza- 
beth's grace  and  my  Lord  Courtenay;  it  is  not  so, 
good  people,  for  I  assure  you  that  neither  they  nor 
any  other  now  yonder  in  bold  endurance  was  privy 
of  my  rising  a  commotion  before  I  began."  Weston, 
his  confessor,  shouted,  "  Believe  him  not,  good  peo- 
ple! he  confessed  otherwise  before  the  council." 
Wyatt  answered :  "  That  which  I  said  then  I  said, 
but  that  zvhich  I  say  now  is  true."  These  were 
Wyatt's  last  words. 

Wycherley  (William,  author  of  "The  Plain- 
dealer,"  "  The  Country  Wife,"  and  several  other 
comedies),  1640-1715.  ''Promise  me  you  will 
never  again  marry  an  old  man,"  said  to  his  wife. 

When  he  was  over  seventy  years  old  he  married  a 
young  woman,  but  he  survived  his  marriage  only 
eleven  days. 


Xast  Mor&s  ot 

XiMENES  DE  CiSNEROS  (Francisco,  Spanish  cardi- 
nal), 17 19- 1 774.     "  This  is  death." 

Yancey  (William  Lowndes,  American  politician, 
secessionist  and  commissioner  to  Europe  to  secure 
recognition  of  the  Southern  Confederacy.  He  was 
called  "The  Fire-Eater"),  1815-1863.  "Sarah," 
his  wife's  name. 

YvART  (J.  A.  Victor,  called  "  The  Arthur  Young 
of  France"),  1764-1831.  "Nature,  how  lovely 
thou  art! " 

Zane  (Giacomo,  a  Venetian  poet),  1529- 1560. 
"  /  should  like  to  live."  There  is  dispute  about  these 
words;  some  writers  say  his  last  words  were:  "I 
should  not  like  to  live." 

Zeisberger  (David,  German  missionary  among 
the  American  Indians,  author  of  a  number  of  books 
in  the  language  of  the  Delaware  Indians),  1 721- 1808. 
"  I  am  going,  my  people,  to  rest  from  all  my  labors 
and  to  be  at  home  with  the  Lord.  He  has  never  for- 
saken me  in  distress,  and  will  not  forsake  me  nozv. 
I  have  reviewed  my  whole  life,  and  found  that  there 
is  much  to  be  forgiven." 

Zeno,  or  Zenon  (Greek  philosopher  and  founder 
of  the  school  of  the  Stoics),  about  b,  c.  355 — about 
B.  c.  257.  "  Earth,  dost  thou  demand  mef-  I  am 
ready."     Last  recorded  words. 

316 


H)fstfnoufsbe&  /iDen  anb  Momen 

The  occasion  of  the  philosopher's  death  is  related 
as  follows :  "  One  day,  as  he  was  coming  out  of  his 
school,  he  ran  against  some  object  and  broke  his 
finger;  this  he  considered  as  an  intimation  from  the 
gods  that  he  must  soon  die;  and,  immediately  strik- 
ing the  ground  with  his  hand,  he  said,  *  Earth,  dost 
thou  demand  me?  I  am  ready.'  Instead  of  seeking 
to  have  his  finger  healed,  he  deliberately  strangled 
himself. 

"  He  had  taught  publicly  forty-eight  years  with- 
out intermission ;  and,  reckoning  from  the  time  when 
he  commenced  his  studies  under  Crates,  the  Cynic, 
he  had  devoted  himself  to  philosophy  for  sixty-eight 
years." — Fenelon. 

ZiMMERMANN  (Johann  Georg  von,  eminent 
Swiss  physician  of  the  eighteenth  century,  and  au- 
thor of  a  famous  essay  on  "  Solitude  "),  1728-1795. 
''  /  am  dying;  leave  me  alone." 

He  was  completely  deranged  for  some  time  before 
his  death. 

ZiNZENDORF  (Nicolaus  Ludwig,  Count  and  Lord 
of  Zinzendorf  and  Pottendorf,  founder  of  the  Mo- 
ravian Church,  and  the  author  of  a  number  of  beau- 
tiful hymns),  1700- 1760.  Around  his  bed  more  than 
a  hundred  members  of  the  community  gathered  to 
receive  his  blessing,  and  hear  his  last  council  and 
encouragement.  When  he  had  spoken  kindly  to 
them  all  he  said  to  his  son-in-law :  "  Now,  my  dear 

317 


Xast  Morbs 

son,  I  am  going  to  the  Saviour.  I  am  ready;  I  am 
quite  resigned  to  the  zvill  of  my  Lord.  If  He  is  no 
longer  willing  to  make  use  of  me  here  I  am  quite 
ready  to  go  to  Hint,  for  there  is  nothing  more  in  my 
way."  His  son-in-law  offered  prayer,  and  as  he 
closed  with  the  petition,  "  Lord,  now  lettest  Thou 
Thy  servant  depart  in  peace,"  the  great  and  holy 
man  fell  asleep  in  his  Saviour, 

ZwiNGLE,  or  ZwiNGLius  (a  Swiss  Reformer  who 
was  killed  at  the  battle  of  Cappel),  1 484-1 531. 
"  Can  this  he  considered  a  calamity?  Well!  they 
can,  indeed,  kill  the  body,  hut  they  are  not  ahle  to 
kill  the  soul."  Said  after  receiving  a  mortal 
wound. 


318 


EPILOGUE 

Great  men  may  by  their  courage  and  virtue  fortify 
us  against  the  terrors  of  death,  if  by  their  vices,  and 
fears  begotten  of  vices,  they  do  not  distress  us  ten- 
fold more  than  we  were  distressed  before;  they  may 
point  the  way  from  a  present  twiHght  to  the  infinite 
day-dawn  beyond ;  and  yet  in  the  end  must  every  pil- 
grim choose  for  himself  the  road  over  which  he  is 
to  journey.  The  foregoing  pages  give  only  the  ex- 
periences of  others.  Nevertheless,  they  may  soften 
in  our  minds  the  dark  outlines  of  the  landscape,  and 
cast  a  rav  of  light  into  the  great  unseen.  Happy  is 
the  soul  that  in  an  age  of  doubt  and  uncertainty  can 
trust,  even  though  it  be  with  trembling  faith,  One 
greater  than  the  greatest,  and  Who  has  named  Him- 
self the  Resurrection  and  the  Life! 

Sunset  and  evening  star, 

And  one  clear  call  for  me! 
And  may  there  be  no  moaning  of  the  bar. 

When  I  put  out  to  sea, 

But  such  a  tide  as  moving  seems  asleep. 

Too  full  for  sound  and  foam. 
When  that  which  drew  from  out  the  boundless 
deep 

Turns  again  home. 

319 


Bpilogue 

Twilight  and  evening  bell, 

And  after  that  the  dark! 
And  may  there  be  no  sadness  of  farewell, 

When  I  embark; 

For  tho'  from  out  our  bourne  of  Time  and  Place 

The  flood  may  bear  me  far, 
I  hope  to  see  my  Pilot  face  to  face 

When  I  have  crost  the  bar. 

Tennyson. 


320 


INDEX 


Index 


Above  all  do  not  miss  me!  159 

Absolutely,  and  I  pray  God  to 
condemn  me  if  I  have,  239 

Adieu,  my  dear  Maraud ;  I  am 
dying,  293 

Adieu,  O  world ;  here  is  no 
pity  for  me.  Soldiers,  fire, 
287 

Adios,  mundo ;  no  hay  piedad 
para  mi.  Soldados,  fuego, 
287 

After  I  am  dead  you  will  find 
Calais  written  upon  my 
heart,  186 

Ah,  Jesus !     61 

Ah !  mes  enfans,  you  cannot 
cry  as  much  for  me,  247 

Ah  !  my  child,  let  us  speak  of 
Christ's  love,  43 

Ah !  poor  humpback,  thy 
many  long  years,  70. 

Ah !  very  well,  16 

Ah,  a  German !  a  prodigy,  ad- 
mit him !     273 

All  I  request  of  you,  gentle- 
men, is  that  you  bear  wit- 
ness, 12 

All  is  well!     97 

All  is  well,  all  is  well — the 
Seed  of  God  reigns  over  all, 

lOI. 

All  my  life  I  have  carried  my- 
self gracefully,  52 

All  my  possessions  for  one 
moment  of  time,  91 

Amazing,  amazing  glory !  I 
am  having  Paul's  under- 
standing, 237 

Amen,  48 

An  Emperor  ought  to  die 
standing,  289 


And  must  I  then  die?     Will 
not  all  my  riches  save  me? 
25 
Anderson,    you    know    that    I 

always  wished  to  die,  199 
Are  the   doctors  here?     123 
Are  the  French  beaten?     199 
Arc  we  not  children,  all  of  us? 

275 
Artery    ceases    to   beat,    The, 

122 
Assatus    est ;     jam     versa     et 

manduca,   161 
"  Asunder  flies  the  man,"   175 
At  least,  I  may  die  facing  the 

enemy,  23 
At  rest  at  last.  Now  I  am  free 

from  pain,  129 
At    the    last    hour   God    alone 

can   give    mortals    comfort, 

247 
Away !     Away !     Why  do  you 

thus  look  at  me?    26 
Ay,  Jesus !     62 

Back,  thou  accursed  phantom, 

164 
Be  fruitful,  188 
Be  good,  be  virtuous,  my  lord, 

176 
Be  of  good  comfort,  brother, 

for  we  shall  have  a  merry 

supper,  43 
Be   of  good   comfort,    Master 

Ridley,   and   play   the   man, 

161 
Be  quick  about  it,  22 
Be  serious,  119 
Be  thou  everlasting,  246 
Begone,  thou  wretched  beast, 


^^6 


irn&ei 


Begone,  you  and  your  trum- 
pery;    until     this     moment, 

252 
Behold   then,   the   recompense 

reserved,  80 
Beloved   Bickus,   the  principle 

of  existence  and  mutability, 

no 
Best  of  all  is,  God  is  with  us, 

The,  300 
Bishop    ought    to    die    on    his 

legs,  A,  313 
Blessed  be  God,  I  have  kept  a 

conscience    void    of   oflfence, 

288 
Blessed    be     God,     though     I 

change  my  place,  231 
Body     of     Our     Lord     Jesus 

Christ,     which     was     given, 

The,  232 
Bring    thy    torch    hither;    do 

thine  office  before  my  face. 

152 
Brother,    brother,    strong   evi- 
dences,   nothing   but    strong 

evidences,  240 
Brother  Ranney,  will  you  bury 

me?  bury  me?  quick!  quick! 

153 
But      the      consummate      and 
perfect  knowledge — ,  249 

Can  this  be  considered  a  cal- 
amity?    Well,  they  can,  318 

Can  this  last  long?    307 

Carry  my  bones  before  you  on 
your  march,  88 

Catholic  faith  is,  to  love  God 
and  to  love  man.  The,  66 

Christ  also  hath  suffered  for 
sins,   133 

Christ  Jesus  the  Saviour  of 
sinners  and  life  of  the  dead, 
210 

Clasp  my  hand,  my  dear 
friend,  I  die !  9 

Close  this  eye,  the  other  is 
closed  already,  309 

Come,  my  son,  and  see  how  a 
Christian  can  die,  126 

Come  to  me,  85 


Commend  your  souls  to  God, 
for  our  bodies  are  the  foes ! 
198 

Comme  un  dernier  rayon, 
comme  un   dernier  zephyre, 

63 

Contemplate  the  state  in  which 
I  am  fallen,  and  learn  to 
die,  245 

Crito,  I  owe  a  cock  to  .^scu- 
lapius,  260 

Dear    gentlemen,    let    me    die, 

no 
Dear    little    fellow — he    is    a 

beautiful  boy,  158 
Death  wins  this  time,  227 
Debt!  189 

Deep  dream  of  peace,  142 
Did  I  not  say  I   was  writing 

the     Requiem     for     myself? 

202 
Did  you  know  Burke?  256 
Did   you    think   I   should   live 

forever?   171 
Do  not  let  the  Civil  Rights  bill 

fail!  270 
Do  you  hear  the  music?     37 
Don't   let   poor    Nelly    starve ! 

60 
Domine  !    Domine !  fac  finem ! 

fac  finem !  98 
Dream   has   been   short,   The, 

247 
Dying,  dying,  134 
Dying    man.    can    do    nothing 

easy,  A,  102 

Earth,  dost  thou  demand  me? 

I  am  ready,  316 
Einen  Blick  in  die  Sonne,  249 
End  has  come  in  the  way  in 

which  I  most  desired.  The, 

206 
Erravi    cum    Petro,    sed    non 

flevi   cum    Petro,    108 
Est  ist  gut,  156 
Et   tu.    Brute !   52 
Examine  it  for  yourself,  300 
Exariare     aliquis     nostris     ex 

ossibus  ultor,  269 


324 


•ffn^ci 


Faith  and  patience  hold  out 
223 

Far  from  well,  yet  far  better 
than  mine  iniquities  de- 
serve,  188 

Farewell,  and  remember  me, 
181 

Farewell,  my  children,  for- 
ever. I  go  to  your  father, 
182 

Farewell,  O  farewell,  all 
earthly  things,  and  welcome 
heaven,  30 

Farewell  sun,  moon,  and 
stars,  177 

Fear  not  true  Pharisees,  but 
greatly  fear  painted  Phari- 
sees, 9 

Fi  de  la  vie !  qu'on  ne  m'en 
parle  plus,    iSi 

Fifty  years  have  passed  since 
I  became  Caliph,  2 

Food  is  palatable.  The,   100 

For  the  love  of  God,  don't 
mention  that  man !   294 

For  the  name  of  Jesus  and  the 
defense  of  the  Church,  26 

For  the  sake  of  the  true  gos- 
pel given  once  by  the  grace 
of  God,   308 

Frenchmen,  I  die  innocent  of 
all  the  crimes,  178 

Friend,  you  do  not  well  to 
trample  on  a  dying  man,  225 

Friendship  itself  is  but  a  part 
of  virtue,  229 

Friends,  I  am  going  to  lay 
down  my  life,  308 

Gentlemen    of    the    jury,    you 

will    now   consider   of   your 

verdict,  276 
Give  Day  Rolles  a  chair,  63 
Give    me  a  large    cup  of   tea^ 

312 
Give  me  back  my  youth,  309 
Give   my   love   to   the   world, 

304 
Give  the  boys  a  holiday,  11 
Give  them  the  cold  steel,  boys, 

16 


"  Glory  be  to  the  Father,  and 
to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  27 
Glory  hallelujah!  I  am  going 
to  the  Lordy !  I  come ! 
Ready!  Go!  119 
Glory   to   God    for   all   things, 

Amen,  64 
Go  first;   I  can  at  least  spare 

you   the  pain,  243 
Go  ye  to  the  country  of  Tyre 

and  Sidon,  148 
"  God    be    merciful   to    me,    a 

sinner,"  287 
God  be  thanked,  I  have  had  a 

very  good  night,  258 
God  bless  you,  49 
God  bless  you  all !  252 
God  bless  you !     Is  that  you, 

Dora?    313 
God  bless  you,  my  dear !     153 
God   forgive   me. — Amen  I    126 
God  have  mercy  upon  me,  and 

be  gracious  to  me,  263 
God    preserve     the    emperor, 

120 
God   protect   Bulgaria,   266 
God,  who  placed  me  here,  will 
do  what  he  pleases  with  me 
hereafter,  38 
God  will  continue  to  support 

me,  102 
God's  will  be  done,  158 
God's    wounds !      The    villain 

hath   killed   me,    292 
Good-bye,  207 
Good-bye,  General ;  I'm  done. 

I'm  too  old,  90 
Good  Doctor,  God  has  heard 

my  daily  petitions,  135 
Good  morning,  203 
Good    people,    give    me    more 

fire,  136 
Grateful — in  peace,  149 
Grenadiers !  lower  your  arms, 
otherwise  you  will  miss  me, 

97 
Guard  the  church  I  loved  so 

well,  227 
Guilty,     weak,     and     helpless 

worm,   A,    133 


325 


1^n^eI 


Ha  til  mi  tulidh,  242  I 

Had    it   pleased   my    Lord    to 

spare   me  longer,  271  I 

Happy,    178 

Happy,  235  I 

He,    126 
He  has  indeed  been  a  precious    I 

Christ  to  me,  245  I 

He   that   loves   God   ought   to    I 

think,   2,1  I 

Heaven !   305  I 

Help,    my   dear — help!    178 
Heracles,  how  cold  your  bath    I 

is,   154 
Here  !    Fire  here  !  287  I 

Here,  then,  we  have  come  to 

the   last   stage  of  my  jour-    I 

ney,  37 
Here  thou  art  then !  64  I 

Herr    Jesu,    to    thee    I    live ; 

Herr  Jesu,    to  thee    I    die  !    I 

104 
Hold      your      tongue ;      your 

wretched   style   only   makes,    I 

178 
Holy,      holy,      holy,      blessed    I 

Lord  Jesus !   243 
How  am    I   advanced,  despis- 
ing you   that   are   upon   the    I 

earth !    180 
How  beautiful !  205  I 

How  beautiful  God  is!  158 
How  beautiful  to  be  with  God,    I 

306 
How     easy — how     easy — how    I 

easy    to    glide    from    work 

here,  237  I 

How  grand  the  sunlight !     It 

seems    to    beckon    earth    to    I 

heaven,    142 
How  great  is  the   forgiveness    I 

for  such  a  life !  291 
How  sweet  it  is  to  rest !  275        I 
Huz!    Huz!  171 

I 
I    always    deemed    him    more 

fortunate  than  myself,   292      I 
I    am    a   Queen,   but   have   no    I 

power  to  use  my  arms,   174    I 
I  am  a  priest !    Fie !    Fie  !    all    I 

is  gone,  25 

326 


am  about  to  die,  and  I  am 

not  afraid  to  die,  296 

am  about  to  die.     I  expect 

the  summons  soon,  276 

am  almost  dead ;  lift  me  up  a 

little    higher,    87 

am  almost  in  eternity,  43 

am   almost   well,   22, 

am  done  for,  128 

am  dying,  302 

am  dying,   I   am   worn  out, 

201 

am  dying;   leave   me   alone, 

317 

am  dying,  sir,  of  a  hundred 
good  symptoms,  229 
am  glad  to  hear  it ;  but,  O 
brother  Payne !  216 
am  going,  my  people,  to  rest 
from  my  labors,  316 
am  going  to  sleep  like  you, 
but   we   shall   all  awake  to- 
gether, 231 

am  going  to  the  great  per- 
haps,  233 

am  going  where  all  tears 
will  be  wiped  from  my  eyes, 
187 

am  grateful  for  your  pres- 
ence, 57 

am     grateful     to      Divine 
Mercy,   160 

am  ill — very  ill,  I  shall  not 
recover,   201 

am    just    going;    have    me 
decently  buried,  296 
am    laboring  to  return    that 
which    is   divine,    228 
am  lost,  and  there  is  no  use 
to  deny  it,  107 
am  not  well,  and  should  like 
to  lie  down,  295 
am  not  in  the  least  afraid  to 
die,  7y 

am  now  ready  to  die.    Lord, 
forsake   me   not,    131 
am  perfectly  resigned,  116 
am  ready,  96 
am  ready,  188 

am  ready  at  any  time — do 
not  keep  me  waiting,  45 


UnDei 


I   am   ready — let   there  be   no 

mistake  and   no  delay,  36 
I   am   roasted — now   turn   me, 

and  eat   me,    161 
I  am  satisfied  with  the  Lord's 

will,   209 
I  am  sensible  of  the  violence 

of  my  disorder,  276 
I  am  suffering,  sire,  the  pangs 

of  the  damned,  273 
I    am    sweeping    through    the 

gates,  68 
I  am  the  wheat  of  Christ,  145 
I  am  very  ill.    Is  it  not  strange 

that  these  people,  55 
I  am  weary;  I  will  now  go  to 

sleep,  Good  night !  207 
I    am    wounded,    129 
I  believe.   Lord,   and   confess, 

224 
I  cannot  bear  it ;  let  me  rest. 

I  must  die,  241 
I  carry  in  my  heart  the  dirge 

of  the  monarchy,  194 
I     commend     myself     to     the 

blessed  Lady  Mary,  307 
I  confide  to  your  care,  my  be- 
loved children,   197 
I  could  wish  this  tragic  scene 

were  over,  232 
I  desire  to  go  to  hell,  and  not 

to  heaven,  178 
I     did     not     think    that     they 

would  put  a  young  gentle- 
man to  death,  22 
I   die   a   martyr   and   willingly 

— my    soul    shall    mount    up 

to  heaven,  46 
I  die  happy,  310 
I    die    like    a    good    Catholic, 

26 
I   die   not   only  a   Protestant, 

but  with  the  heart-hatred  of 

popery,  16 
I  die  of  a  broken  heart,  156 
I  die  unprepared,  41 
I  do,  215  _ 

I  do  forgive  you.  138 
I  do  not  fear  death,  36 
I  do  not  mean  to  be  killed  to- 
day, 285 


fear  not  death ;  death  is  not 
terrible  to  me,  59 
feel  as  if  I  were  sitting  with 
Mary  at  the  feet  of  my  Re- 
deemer,  129 

feel  as  if  I  were  to  be  myself 
again,  252 

feel  like  a  mote  in  the  sun- 
beam, 223 

feel  now  that  I  am  dying,  29 
feel  (juite  well,  only  very 
weak,  154 

feel  the  flowers  growing 
over  me,  156 

give  thee  thanks,  O  God,  for 
all   they  benefits,  89 
go  to  my  God  and  Saviour, 
132 

have   already   confessed   my 
sins  to  God,   257 
have  always  endeavored   to 
the  best  of  my  ability,  66 
have  been  false  to  my  God, 
31 

have  been  fortunate  in  long 
good  health  and  constant 
success,  239 

have  been  murdered ;  no 
remedy  can  prevent  my 
speedy  death,  162 
have  been  nearer  to  you 
when  you  have  missed  me, 
165 

have  done  my  work.     It  is 
the    most    natural    thing    in 
the  world  to  die,  238 
have    done    the    damnable 
deed.  230 

have  enough,  brother;  try  to 
save  your  own  life,  120 

have  ever  cherished  an 
honest  pride ;  never  have  I 
stooped,   255 

have  found  at  last  the  object 
of  my  love,  145 
have  had  a   noble   share  of 
life,  183 

have  had  wealth,  rank  and 
power,  but  if  these  were  all,  7 
have  known  thee  all  the 
time,  304 


Z^l 


1In&ei 


have  led  a  happy  life,  127 
have  loved  God,  my  father 
and   liberty,   265 
have  loved  justice  and  hated 
inquity,   118 

have     no     enemies     except 
those  of  the  state,  239 
have  no  religious  joys;  but 
I  have  hope,   106 
have  no  wish  to  believe  on 
that   subject,   217 
have  not  so  behaved  myself, 

ID 

have  often  read  and  thought 
of  that  scripture,  51 
have   opened  it,  277 
have   pain — there   is   no   ar- 
guing against  sense,  23 
have    Paul's    understanding, 

237 

have  peace  of  mind,  10 
have  peace,  perfect  peace,  51 
have  something  to  tell  you, 
177 

have  taught  men  how  to 
live,  66 

have  the  flavor  of  death  on 
my  tongue,  I  taste  death, 
201 

heard  your  voice ;  but  did 
not  understand  what  you 
said,  119 

hope  the  people  of  England 
will  be  satisfied,   199 
know    that    it    will    be    well 
with  me,  100 

I  know  that  my  Redeemer 
liveth,"   167 

know  what  you  are  think- 
ing of,  but  I  have  nothing, 
310 

leave  this  world  without  a 
regret,   281 

II  be  shot  if  I  don't  believe 
I'm   dying,   282 

must  arrange  my  pillows 
for  another  weary  night,  147 
must  now  hasten  away  since 
my  baggage  has  been  sent, 
20 
must  sleep  now,  51 


never  departed  from  the  true 
church,  281 

never  thought  that  it  was  so 
easy  a  matter  to  laugh,  247 
now  draw  near  to  the  har- 
bor of  death.  315 
now    feel    so    weaned    from 
earth,      my      affections      so 
much  in  heaven,  305 
now   feel  that   I   am   dying. 
Our  care  must  be,  193 
only  regret  that  I  have  but 
one  life  to  give  to  my  coun- 
try!    121 

pray  you  all  pray  for  me,  25 
pray  you  see  me  safe  up  the 
scaffold,   200 

receive  absolution  upon  this 
condition,  235 

repent  of  my  life  except  that 
part,  85 

resign  my  spirit  to  God ;  my 
daughter  to  my  country,  152 
see  earth  receding ;  Heaven 
is  opening;  God  is  calling 
me,   198 

shall  be  glad  to  find  a  hole 
to  creep  out  of  the  world 
at,  133 

shall  be  satisfied  with  thy 
likeness,  300 

shall  gladly  obey  His  call, 
13 

shall  hear  in  heaven,  28 
shall  not  live  more  than  two 
days,   therefore  make  haste. 
313 

shall  not  long  hesitate  be- 
tween conscience  and  the 
Pope,  29 

shall  retire  early ;  I  am  very 
tired,    177 

shall  this  day  deceive  the 
worms  in  Hadley  church- 
yard, 275 

should  like  to  live,  316 
should  like  to  record  the 
thoughts  of  a  dying  man,  24 
should  not  like  to  live,  316 
stand  in  the  presence  of  my 
Creator,  134 


328 


IfnDei 


still  live!  298 
strike  my  flag,   139 
suffer    nothing,    but    feel    a 
sort    of    difficulty    of    living 
longer,  loi 

suffer  the  violence  of  pain 
and  death,  41 

suppose  I  shall  soon  be  a 
god,  289 

take  God  to  witness  I  have 
preached,    144 

thank  God  that  not  a  day  of 
my  life  has  been  spent,  223 
thank  thee,  O  my  God  and 
Saviour,   161 

thank  you  for  all  your  faith- 
ful services;  God  bless  you, 

53. 

think  I  shall  die  to-night, 
244 

think   you   had   better   send 
for  a  doctor,  257 
thought     dying     had     been 
harder,    172 

trust  in  the  mercy  of  God, 
it  is  not  now  too  late,  130 
want,  oh,  you  know  what  I 
mean,  the  stuff  of  life,  274 
want  to  go  away,  57 
want  to  go  home,  300 
were  miserable,  if  I  might 
not  die,  85 

will  enter  now  into  the  house 
of  the  Lord,  171 
will    have    no    rogue's    son 
in  my  seat,  91 
will  lie  down  on  the  couch, 
64. 

wish  I  had  the  power  of 
writing,   T2> 

wish  Vaughan  to  preach  my 
funeral   sermon,   266 
wish  you  to  understand  the 
true    principles    of    govern- 
ment,  124 

f  he  should  slay  me  ten  thou- 
sand times,  244 

f  I  die,  I  die  unto  the  Lord, 
Amen,   147 

f  I  had  strength  to  hold  a 
pen  I  would  write,  144 


If     I     have     been     deceived, 

doubtless    it    was    the    work 

of  a  spirit,  261 
If    my    husband    has    for    his 

new  wife  no  better  gift,  261 
If  you  think  it  will  be  of  serv- 
ice,  123 
If    you    love    my    soul,    away 

with   it!    135 
Illi    in    extremis    prae    timore 

imbellis  sudor,  289 
In   death   at   last   let   mc    rest 

with   Abelard,   128 
In  me  behold  the  end  of  the 

world,  258 
Indeed,  no  more  medicine,  99 
Independence  forever !  2 
In  life  and  in  death,  I  am  the 

Lord's,  147 
"  In     manus     tuos,     Domine, 

commendo  spiritum  meum," 

66 
In  the  name  of  modesty,  cover 

my  bosom !  92 
Is  it  not  true,  dear  Hammel, 

that  I  have  some  talent  after 

all?  28 
Is  Lawrence  come? — Is  Law- 
rence come?   106 
Is  not   this   dying  with   cour- 
age and  true  greatness?  31 
Is     there     no     priest     at    the 

chateau?   97 
Is  this  death?  165 
Is  this  death?  233 
Is  this  dying?    Is  this  all?     Is 

this  all  that  I  feared?  187 
It  came  with  a  lass,  and  it  will 

go  with  a  lass,  152 
It    grows    dark,    boys.      You 

may   go,   1 
It    is    folly ;    they    had    better 

leave  it  alone,  273 
It   is   a    great  consolation   for 

a   dying  poet,  38 
It    is    a    great    consolation    to 

me,  in  my   last  hour,   106 
It  is   a  great    mercy  to    me, 

298 
It  is  a  great  satisfaction  to  me 

to  know,    199 


329 


llnOei 


It    is    all    one,    Phillips    and 

Clarke    will    come    for    my 

sake,  221 
It  is  all  the  same  in  the  end,  214 
It  is  beautiful,  45 
It   is   delightful   to   see   those 

whom    I    love    still    able   to 

swallow,  73 
It   is   done!    116 
It  is  likely  that  you  may  never 

need  to  do  it  again,  134 
It  is  not  painful,  Paetus,  18 
It  is  nothing,  139 
It  is  safest  to  trust  to  Jesus,  29 
It  is  small,  very  small  indeed, 

38 
It  is  the  last  of  earth !     I  am 

content !  2 
It  was  not  enough  to  deprive 

me  of  the  crown,  225 
It  is  well,  296 
It  is  well;  I  thank  you;  God 

bless  you,   271 
It  matters  little  to  me ;  for  if 

I  am  but  once  dead,  47 
It    matters    not    where    I    am 

going,  whether  the  weather, 

90 
It    will    be    but   a    momentary 

pang,  II 
It  will  soon  be  time  for  mass. 

They  must  raise  me,  271 
It  would  be  hard  indeed  if  we 

two     dear     friends     should 

part,   215 

James,  take  good  care  of  the 

horse,  253 
Jefferson  survives,  2 
Jesu  !  228 
Jesus !    Jesus !    153 
Jesus,  Mary,  Joseph,  254 
Jesus  !  precious  Saviour !  y:^ 
Jesus,  Son  of  the  eternal  God, 

have  mercy  on  me !  254 
Joy,  200 
"  Justum  et  tenacem  propositi 

virum,"    82 

King  should  die  standing,  A, 
177 


Kiss  me.  Hardy,  207 

Know  Him?  He  is  my 
Saviour,  286 

Knowledge  of  the  love  of  God 
— the  blessing  of  God  Al- 
mighty, The,  188 

La  montagne  est  passee,  nous 
irons  mieux,  105 

Laissez  la  verdure,  245 

Let  all  brave  Prussians  follow 
me,  251 

Let  down  the  curtain,  the 
farce  is  over,  233 

Let  me  die  with  the  Phili- 
stines, 245 

Let  my  epitaph  be,  "  Here 
lies  Joseph,  who  was  un- 
successful,"   153 

Let  this  word  of  mine  be  kept 
by  you,    13 

Let  us  go  over  the  river,  and 
sit  under  the  refreshing 
shadow,  149 

Let  us  submit  to  the  laws  of 
nature,   238 

Liebe,  gute,  249 

Life  or  death  is  welcome  to 
me,  301 

Life  spent  in  the  service  of 
God,  A,  131 

Live  in  Christ,  live  in  Christ, 
159 

Live  mindful  of  our  wedlock, 
Livia,   19 

Lord,  69 

Lord,  forgive  my  sins;  especi- 
ally my  sins  of  omissions, 
287 

Lord  has  suffered  as  much  for 
me.   The,    246 

Lord,  have  mercy  upon  me. 
Wilt  thou  break  a  bruised 
reed?   12 

Lord  help  my  soul !  228 

Lord,  into  thy  hands  I  com- 
mend my  spirit,  62 

Lord,  into  thy  hands  I  com- 
mend  my   spirit,   118 

Lord,  into  thy  hands  I  com- 
mend my  spirit,  274 


330 


1[n^eI 


Lord,  Lord,  Lord,  receive  my 

spirit !    142 
Lord,  receive  my  soul,  161 
Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit, 

136 
Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  soul ! 

306 
Lord !      Jesus  I        Yet      more 

trouble,  65 
Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their 

charge,  267 
Lord,   make   haste !    122 
"  Lord,    now    let    thy    servant 

depart  in  peace,"  43 
Lord,    open    the    eyes    of    the 

King  of  England,  285 
Lord,   receive   my    soul,    161 
Lord,  receive  my  spirit,  243 
Lord  take  my  spirit,  89 
Lotte,   190 
Luis   de   Moscoso,  80 

Madame,   50 

Mais  quel  diable  de  mal  veux 

— te  que  cela  me  fosse?  83 
Many     things     are     growing 

plain  and  clear  to  my  under- 
standing, 248 
Master     Kingston,     farewell ! 

My  timedraweth  on  fast,  310 
May  God   never   forsake   me  I 

222 
May  God's  will  be  done,  30 
Mir   ist   sehr   schlecht.   295 
Molly,  I  shall  die!   116 
Mon   Dieu !     Mon   Dieu !     113 
Mon   Dieu !   La   Nation   Fran- 

gaise,  Tete  d'armee,  205 
Monks  !   Monks  !    Monks  !    130 
More  light!    More  light!  114 
Murder    of    the    Queen    had 

been     represented     to     me, 

The,  19 
Must  I  leave  it  unfinished?  207 
My  anchor   is   well  cast,  and 

my    shio,    136 
My     beautiful     flowers,     my 

lovely   flowers !    240 
My    beloved !     they    are    not 

mine.      No  I    they    are    not 

mine!  33 


My     children,     these     fearful 

forests     and     these     barren 

rocks,   114 
My   Christ,  45 

My  dear,  be  a  good  man,  252 
My    dear    one,    with    whom    I 

lived  in  love  so  long,  255 
My   dear  wife,  my  dear   chil- 
dren, do  not  weep,  57 
My    desire    is    to    make    what 

haste  I  may  to  be  gone,  71 
My  friend,  I  shall  die  to-day. 

When   one    is   in   this    situ- 
ation,   IQ3 
My    friend,    it    is    only    from 

cold,   21 
My  God!  232 
"My  God,  my  Father,  and  my 

Friend,"   84 
My  heart  is  fixed,  O  God !  my 

heart  is  fixed,  246 
My    heart    is    resting    sweetly 

with  Jesus,  72 
My    life    is    taken    from    me, 

though  I  have  done  nothing, 

284 
My  Lord,  why  do  you  not  go 

on?    I  am  not  afraid  to  die, 

187 
My  soul  I  resign  to  God,  my 

body  to  the  earth,  48 
My  trust  is  in  God,  275 
My  work  is  done,  133 
My    work    ia    done ;     I    have 

nothing  to  do  but  to  go  to 

my  Father,  144 

Napoleon !  Elba !  Marie 
Louise,   153 

Nature,  how  lovely  thou  art ! 
316 

Nectare  clausa  suo,  253 

Never  heed ;  the  Lord's  power 
is  over  all   weakness,    loi 

Never  mind,  I  shall  soon 
drink  of  the  river  of  Eternal 
Life,  283 

No,  14 

No ;  it  was  one  Tom  Camp- 
bell, 54 

No,  it  is  not,  115 


331 


1[n&ex 


No,  No!    44 

No  mortal  man  can  live  after 

the  glories   which   God,  285 
No  resentment,  227 
No,  whatever  is,  is  best,  163 
No,  your  Majesty,  to-morrow 

you  will    not    see    me  here, 

57 
Nobody,     nobody     but     Jesus 

Christ,  49 
None  but  Christ!   160 

Not ,  95 

Not  till  the  general  resurrec- 
tion, 258 
Nothing  else  but  heaven,   191 
Now  all  is  over — let  the  piper 

play    "  Ha    til    mi    tulidh," 

242 
Now  am  I  about  to  make  rny 

last  voyage — a  great  leap  in 

the  dark,  133 
Now  comes  the  mystery,  28 
Now  God  be  praised,  only  one 

hour!   112 
Now    God    be    with    you,    my 

dear  children,  45 
Now  I  am  going,  99 
Now  I  can  hold  on  no  longer. 

Lay  me  in  a  different  pos- 
ture, 249 
Now  I  die,  301 
Now   I   know  that  I  must  be 

very  ill,  since  you  have  been 

sent  for,  171 
Now  it  is  come,  159 
Now    lack    I    but    two    stiles ; 

and     I     am'     even     at     my 

Father's    house,    275 
Now,  Lord,  I  go,  62 
Now,  my  dear  son,  I  am  go- 
ing  to   the    Saviour,    317 
Now,    O    God,    thou    dost    let 

thy  servant  depart  in  peace, 

112 
Nurse,    nurse,    what    murder ! 

what    blood !     Oh !    I    have 

done  wrong,  61 

O  Allah,  be  it  so !  Hence- 
forth among  the  glorious 
host  of  paradise,  199 


O  Allah,  pardon  my  sins. 
Yes,  I  come,  among  my  fel- 
low laborers,  196 

O,  better,  146 

O,  cardinal !  thou  wilt  make 
us  all  to  be  damned,  215 

O  come  in  glory !  I  have  long 
waited  for  thy  coming,  91 

"O  death  where  is  thy  ," 

131 
"  O  Father  of  thy  beloved  and 

blessed  Son,  Jesus  Christ!" 

229 
O    Florence,    what    hast    thou 

done  to-day?  246 
O  God  come  to  mine  aid ;  O 

Lord  make  haste  to  help  me, 

172 
O  God  have  mercy  upon  me, 

and   upon   this  poor  nation, 

215 
O  God — if  there  be  a  God — I 

desire  Thee  to  have  mercy 

on  me,  284 
O !   he's  a  dear,  good   fellow, 

303 
O  Hobbima,  Hobbima,  how  I 

do  love  thee !  72 
O,     I     hear     such     beautiful 

voices,   249 
O    Lord    Almighty,    as    thou 

wilt !     48 
O  Lord,  forgive  the  errata !  43 
O    Lord,    into    Thy    hands    I 

commit  my  spirit,  184 
O  Lord,  save  my  country !    O 

Lord,  be  merciful,  122 
Oh,  Lord,  shall  I  die  at  all  ?  19 
O    my    country,    how    I    leave 

thee,  227 
O  my  God !  224 
O,  my  mother !  how  deep  will 

be  thy  sorrow  at  the  news, 

68 
O,   my  poor   soul,   what  is  to 

become  of  thee?  189 
O,  my  poor  soul,  whither  art 

thou  going?  3 
O  Paradise  !  O  Paradise  !    At 

last  comes  to  me  the  grand 

consolation,  223 


332 


1fn&ei 


O,  that  beautiful  boy!    93 
O,  that  glorious  sun!  231 
O  the  depths  of  the  riches  of 
the    goodness    and    knowl- 
edge of  God !  170 
O,  to  die  for  liberty  is  a  pleas- 
ure and  not  a  pain,  42 
O,  what  triumphant  truth,  88 
O    wretched  virtue !    thou   art 

a  bare  name !  47 
Observe  how  they  are  swelled. 

Oh,  the  insufferable  pangs  of 

hell   and   damnation,   209 
Oh    death,    why    art    thou    so 

long  in  coming?   75 
Oh,    don't    let    the    awkward 

squad  fire   over  me !   50 
Oh  Gabrielle,  how  much  better 

would  it  have  been,^  98 
Oh   God,   what   then   is   man, 

122 
Oh  Puss,  chloroform — ether — 

or  I  am  a  dead  man,  50 
Oh,  that  peace  may  come,  291 
Oh,  would  to  God  I  had  never 

reigned !   227 
On  the  ground,  83 
One   hundred   and    forty-four, 

78 
One    word,    one    word — Jesus 

Christ !     210 
Only     objection     against     the 

Bible  is  a  bad  life.  The,  307 
Open    the    gates !     Open    the 

gates !  301 
Open  to  me,  O  God !  160 
Over  my  spirit  flash  and  float 
in  divine  radiancy,  279 

Pains,   the   groans,   the    dying 

strife.  The,  209 
Peace !  42 
Peace !  300 

People  mv  trust,  The,  108 
Poor    little   boys  I    48 
Pourquoi  est-ce  que  vous  me 

quittez,  113 
Pray,    pray !    122 
Precious  salvation,  132 
Precious  salvation!  269 


Promise    me    you    will    never 
again  marry  an  old  man,  315 
Put  me  there,   122 

Qualis  artifex  pereo  !    207 

Refresh     me     with     a     great 

thought,  132 
Rejoice  !    We  rejoice  !  98 
Relief  has  come,  216 
Remember,   59 

Remember   that    I    die   as   be- 
comes a  British  officer,  12 
Remember     the     Lord     Jesus 

Christ,  224 
Repeat  those  words  Monsieur 

the  almoner,    172 
Righteous    wait   expectant   till 

1    receive    my    recompense, 

The,   102 
"  Rock  of  Ages  cleft  for  me," 

8 

Sarah,  316 

See  in  what  peace  a  Christian 

can  die,  2 
Set  your   mind   at   rest,   Dieu 

me  pardonnera,  128 
Shall     I     sue     for     mercy? — 

Come,    come,    no    weakness, 

51 
Sinner,  thou   must   die,    176 
Sister  !   sister  !   sister !  79 
Sit  down,  270 
Six  feet  of  earth  for  my  body, 

and  the  infinite  heavens  for 

my  soul,  41 
Sixty-four       years       ago       it 

pleased     the     Almighty     to 

call,  200 
So  far  as   I  have  understood 

what  the  duties  of  my  office 

were,   266 
So  much  the  better !    I   shall 

not  then  live  to  see  the  sur- 
render, 197 
So  the  heart  be  right,  it  is  no 

matter  which  way  the  head 

lies,  233 
Soldiers — fire  !  176 
Soldiers,  fire,  213 


333 


UntJei 


Soul   of   Christ,   sanctify   me ; 
Body    of    Christ,    save    me, 

254 
South!      The     South!      God 

knows  what  will  become  of 

her!     The,  53 
Stand  up  for  Jesus,  286 
Stay,    friend,    till    I   put   aside 

my  beard,  200 
Stop,  go  out  of  the  room ;    I 

am  about  to  die,  loi 
Stopped.    116 
Strike  here  !    Level  your  rage 

against  the  womb,  7 
Strike,    if    it   be    for   the    Ro- 
man's good,    107 
Strange  sight,  sir,  an  old  man 

unwilling  to  die,  93 
Stupid  country,  where  they  do 

not  even  know,  224 
Suffer  no  pomp  at  my  funeral, 

nor  monumental  inscription, 

138 
Sun,   thou   hast   betrayed   me, 

ISS 
Support  me,  let  not  my  brave 
soldiers  see  me  drop,  310. 

Tay  hip!  145 

Take    care    of   poor    mistress, 

154 
Take  care  of  Maria,  294 
"  Taught,  half  by  reason,  half 

by  mere  decay,"  203 
Tell  Collingwood  to  bring  the 

fleet  to  anchor,  207 
Tell  Emerson  that  I  love  and 

revere  him,  270 
Tell   Hill   he   must   come   up, 

162 
Tell  them  to  go  forward  and 

do  a  good  work,  73 
Texas  !  Texas  !   Margaret,   137 
Thank  God,  I  have  done  my 

duty,  207 
Thanic  God  !    Thank  Heaven  ! 

197 
Thank  God,  to-morrow  I  shall 

join    the    glorious    company 

above,  87 
Thank  you,  my  child,  31 


Thanks  be  to  God,  T>, 

That  is  enough  to  last  till  I 
get  to  heaven,  295 

That's  right.  Brother  Taylor ; 
parry  them  off  as  well  as 
you  can,  258 

That  which  I  said  then  I  said, 
but  that  which  I  say  now  is 
true,  315 

Then  I  am  safe,  71 

There  are  six  guineas  for  you, 
and  do  not  hack  me,  251 

"  There  is  another  and  a  bet- 
ter world,"  219 

There  is  but  one  book;  bring 
me  the  Bible,  252 

There  is  no  other  life  but  the 
eternal,  44 

There  is  no  time  to  be  lost,  ^^ 

There's  nothing  to  beat  that, 
Hugh,  87 

There  is  nothing  solid  but  re- 
ligious   ideas,    243 

These  passages  may  be  found 
on  the  following  pages,  221 

They  will  come  off  better  af- 
ter, 216 

Think  more  of  death  than  of 
me,  14 

This  block  will  be  my  pillow, 
26s 

This  day  let  me  see  the  Lord 
Jesus,   153 

This  is  a  beautiful  world,  lOi 

This  is  a  sharp  medicine,  but 
a  sure  remedy,  233 

This  is  a  struggle  which  all 
men   must  go  through,   313 

This  is  death,  316 

This  is  not  my  home,  16 

This  is  the  toilette  of  death, 
68 

This  soul  in  flames  I  offer, 
Christ,  to  thee,    153 

This  unworthy  right  hand,  70 

Those  are  the  spirits  of  my 
little  girls,   109 

Thou  dog,  203 

Thou  hast  conquered,  O  Gali- 
lean !  thou  hast  conquered ! 
155 


334 


1In&ei 


Thou  hast  said  truly,  consum- 
matum  est,  27 

Thou  knowest,  O  Lord,  the 
secrets  of  our  hearts,   158 

Thou,  Lord,  bruisest  me;  but 
I  am  abundantly  satisfied, 
53 

Throw  a  quilt  over  it,  105 

Throw  up  the  window  that 
I  may  see  once  more,  244 

Thy  creatures,  O  Lord,  have 
been  my  books,  19 

"  Thy  kingdom  come,  thy 
will  be  done,"  65 

Tired — very  tired — a  long  jour- 
ney— to  take,   124 

To  be  like  Christ  is  to  be  a 
Christian,  223 

To  judge  by  what  I  now  en- 
dure, the  hand  of  death,  243 

To  sleep — to  die,  305 

Toffro  il  tuo  proprio  Figlio, 
192 

Trotter  will  tell  you,  loi 

Trust  in  God  and  you  need 
not  fear,  89 

Under  the  feet  of  my  friars, 

8S 
Ungrateful   traitors !     187 
Useless !     Useless !    39 

Very  little  meat  for  the  mus- 
tard, 134 

Vex  me  not  with  this  thing, 
but  give  me  a  simple  cross, 

55 
Vos  plaudite,  19 

Wally,  what  is  this?  It  is 
death,  my  boy,  112 

Water,  116 

Water,  283 

We  are  all  going  to  heaven, 
and  Vandyke  is  of  the  com- 
pany, 106 

We  are  ready — soldiers,  fire ! 
78 

We  part  to  meet  again,  I  hope, 
irv  endless  joy,  137 

We  return  no  more.  242 


We  shall  not  lose  our  lives  in 

this  fire,  214 
We  shall  then  desire  nothing, 

42 
We  will  endeavor  to  crawl  to 

this  line,  136 
We  will  go  to  Jerusalem,  171 
Weep  not  for  me,  6 
Weep    not    for    me,    but    for 

yourselves,  48 
Welcome  the  Cross  of  Christ, 

welcome      everlasting      life, 

246 
Well !      God's    will    be    done. 

He  knows  best,  289 
Well,    ladies,    if    I    were    one 

hour  in  heaven,  186 
Well,    my    friend,    what    news 

from     the     Great     Mogul? 

201 
Well,  my  God,  I  consent  with 

all  my  heart,  171 
Were    the    Church    of    Christ 

what  she  should  be,  53 
Were  you  at  Sedan?    206 
What   an    idle   piece   of   cere- 
mony, 43 
What !    art   thou,  too,   one   of 

them  !     Thou,  my  son !     52 
What  can  it  signify?     70 
What  I  cannot  utter  with  my 

mouth,  232 
What  is  that?     268 
When  I  am  dead,  my  children, 

74 
When    I    think    of   the    exist- 
ence which  shall  commence, 

55 
When    nature    has    abandoned 

an  unhappy  victim,  192 
While    there    is    life,    there    is 

will,  44 
Who  is  near  me?    64 
Why,  certainly,  certainly !  274 
Why    dost    thou    not    strike? 

Strike !     233 
Why  weep  ye  ?    Did  you  think 

that    I    could   live   forever? 

271 
Will  no  one  have  pity  on  me? 

Here,  fire  here  !    288 


335 


flnDei 


Will  you  tell  the  archdea- 
con .''    9 

With  all  my  heart :  I  would 
fain  be  reconciled  to  my 
stomach,  98 

Whose  house  is  this?  What 
street  are  we  in?     47 

Wonderful,  wonderful,  this 
death,  98 

Worst  is    I   cannot   see,    The, 

273 
Write  the  word  "  Remorse  "  ; 
show  it  to  me,  234 

Yes !  102 
Yes!  176 
Yes,  it  would  be  rash  to  say 

that   they   have   no  reasons, 

56 
Yes,  yes,  sing  that  for  me,  288 
Yes,  comme  un  damne,  273 


Yet  I  was  once  your  emperor, 

293 
You  are  fighting  for  an  earthly 

crown,  107 
You  are  good  fellows,  but  you 

can  do  nothing  for  me,  23 
You    make    me    drink.      Pray 

leave  me  quiet,  62 
You  may  go  home,  the  show 

is  over,  79 
You  need  not  be  anxious  con- 
cerning to-night,  58 
You  see  what  is  man's  life,  no 
You  will  show  my  head  to  the 

people,  77 
Young  man,  keep  your  record 

—    115 
Young   man,   you   have   heard 
no  doubt,  how  great  are  the 
terrors,  22 


336 


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